Gambling Harm Awareness Week
Free family-friendly events near you:
| Where | When | Place | Event name | Brought to you by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National | 3 to 9 September | Selected locations throughout New Zealand | Pause the Pokies | Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand |
| Auckland | Sat 1 Sept 5pm - 8pm | Avondale Community Centre 99 Rosebank Road Avondale | Feed the streets | Salvation Army Oasis |
| Auckland | Tue 4 Sept 10am - 1pm | Ōtara Library, 46 Fair Mall, Ōtara, Manukau | "Ka Ching" Movie Screening | Problem Gambling Foundation |
| Auckland | Thu 6 Sept 10am - 3pm | Ōtara Library, 46 Fair Mall, Ōtara, Manukau | Cook Island Cultural Arts Displays | Problem Gambling Foundation |
| Auckland | Fri 7 Sept 11am - 1pm | Takapuna Library, 9 The Strand, Takapuna | "Ka Ching" Movie Screening | Problem Gambling Foundation |
| Auckland | Sat 8 Sept 10am - 2pm | Mt Eden War Memorial, 489 Dominion Rd, Mount Eden | Exploring the Asian Culture | Asian Family Services |
| Wellington | Tue 4 Sept 11am - 2pm | Salvation Army Newtown Centre, 4 Normanby st, Newtown | Creative Whānau | Te Taeaomanino Trust, Ora Toa Mauri Ora, Problem Gambling Foundation, and Salvation Army Oasis |
| Wellington | Thu 6 Sept 11am - 2pm | Salvation Army Newtown Centre, 4 Normanby st, Newtown | Creative Whānau | Te Taeaomanino Trust, Ora Toa Mauri Ora, Problem Gambling Foundation, and Salvation Army Oasis |
Get involved on Facebook
Did you know that spending time with loved ones can help beat gambling harm? Whether it's going for a walk, sharing kai or exploring somewhere new, family members can make a huge difference.
Go to the Choice Not Chance Facebook page to find suggestions for fun family activities. You can also share your own whānau time experiences through comments and photos.
Download the 2018 Gambling Harm Awareness Week Toolkit
Get key messages, Facebook promo tips, social media images, email signatures templates, event ideas, and more digital goodies!
About Gambling Harm Awareness Week
It's likely that 186,000 Kiwis are experiencing a level of gambling-related harm, but even so, it's often hidden from view.
These local events, combined with the Choice Not Chance Facebook promotion, are part of a national effort to:
- Raise awareness of gambling harm in Aotearoa
- Provide positive ways for people to take time out from gambling and put time into whānau, family, aiga and fāmili
Evidence shows that spending time with a loved one and sharing rewarding activities together (like fishing or sharing kai) is a practical way to beat gambling harm.
Gambling can start out as fun, but there is a point for everyone where it can become ‘unfun’. Gambling harm can escalate quickly, damaging relationships, whānau, finances and hopes for the future.
Now's a good time to take the quiz to see whether your gambling is still just for fun.
Look out for the early signs of gambling harm. These include ‘trying to win back your losses’, ‘hiding gambling from others’, or ‘feeling guilty about gambling’.
If your gambling is starting to become unfun, there are heaps of ways to get help. The Gambling Helpline team can be contacted for free anytime 24/7.
There are also FREE face-to-face help and support services available in your local community.
Pause the pokies
The Problem Gambling Foundation, Mapu Maia and Asian Family Services are running an initiative called Pause the Pokies.
This initative invites a venue to turn off its pokie machines for one hour during Gambling Harm Awareness Week.
Pause the Pokies gives venues an opportunity to stand in solidarity with individuals, families and the community and provides a platform to raise publicity around the issue of gambling harm. It is hoped that this small interuption will cause gamblers to pause, reflect and seek assistance from a local face-to-face support services.
For information on how to get involved go to www.pgf.nz/pause-the-pokies.html