NZ Study Linking Gambling to Crime Increases Debunked

A study done by New Zealand researchers has led to the dubious claim that gambling does lead to criminal behavior, only it goes unreported.

A New Zealand survey financed by the Ministry of Health claims to have found disturbing evidence that gambling causes heretofore unmeasured increases in crime. But analysts say the study wasn't conducted under proper scientific and statistical conditions, and proves nothing about the larger gaming population.

The study by the University of Auckland suggests that there is unreported crime that rises with gambling activity. Documented criminal actions may stay stable, but crimes that are never reported spiral.

"There is substantial unreported gambling-related crime which is invisible to the authorities," said Dr. Maria Bellringer, co-director of the university's gambling and additions research centre.

The researchers said they were already aware of gamblers who committed crimes to support their gambling. But they say there may be a second culture, who say they gamble because of their crimes, or to replace criminal behavior.

But the study did not include controls or numbers which would make findings significant, say critics.

"It is a little disturbing to read quite generalized extrapolation of the data," said Francis Wevers, CEO of the Charity Gaming Association. "The study group is so small  that its results can only be true of the people who participated.

"It is not valid to imply wider impacts in society or even among the problem gambling population as a whole," Wevers asserted.

Further, Sherman Bradley, OCA gambling analyst, said the idea of measuring unreported crime is a problematic one. "When objectively examining numbers, records are essential. This is why the effectiveness of twelve-step therapy is questionable, because anonymous treatment is by its nature unmeasured."