Gambling Harm Awareness Week
On this page
- Free family events near you
- Get involved on Facebook
- Download the Gambling Harm Awareness Week Toolkit
- About Gambling Harm Awareness Week
- Pause the Pokies
Free family-friendly events near you:
| Where | When | Place | Event name | Brought to you by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | Sat 13 Oct, 10am - 2pm | Otahuhu Town Hall, 10-16 High St | Say Yes to Fāmili, Say No to Gambling | Mapu Maia |
| 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 | Mon 3 Sept 11am - 3pm | Te Wharekura o Manurewa, 81 Finlayson Avenue, Clendon Park | Reconnect Series | Hāpai Te Hauora Tapui |
| Auckland | Tues 4 Sept 10am - 12pm | Papakura High School, Willis Rd, Papakura | Tāne Mahuta Project | Hāpai Te Hauora Tapui |
| Auckland | Wed 5 Sept 11am - 3pm | Massey High School, 274 Don Buck Road, Massey | Reconnect Series | Hāpai Te Hauora Tapui |
| 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 | Thu 6 Sept 10am - 2pm | Mangere Town Centre, 93 Bader Dr | Family Fun Day | Southseas Healthcare Trust |
| 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 |
| Hamilton | Mon to Wed, 3-5 Sept, 11am - 1pm | Chartwell Shopping Centre, 201 Hukanui Rd | Community Outreach | Salvation Army Oasis |
| Hamilton | Thu to Fri, 6-7 Sept, 11am - 1pm | Hamilton City Library, 9 Garden Pl | Community Outreach | Salvation Army Oasis |
| Bay of Plenty | Wed 26 Sept 3pm - 6pm | Maketu Seaside Park. (Or if wet: Maketu Health and Social Services Hauora Building, Te Puke 3 Little Waihi Road | The World is your Oyster - Career Expo | Maketu Health and Social Services |
| Whanganui | 3-9 September | Ngā Tai o Te Awa Facebook Page | Awesome tips for putting time into whānau | Ngā Tai o Te Awa |
| Masterton | Tues 4 Sept 10am - 12:30pm | Masterton Medical Centre | Gambling Harm Awareness Day | The Salvation Army Oasis |
| Masterton | Tues 4 Sept 1pm - 4pm | Whairoa Medical Centre, 394 Queen St | Gambling Harm Awareness Day | The Salvation Army Oasis |
| Masterton | Thu 6 Sept 10am - 2pm | Food Bank | Gambling Harm Awareness Day | The Salvation Army Oasis |
| Carterton | Wed 5 Sept 10am - 12:30pm | Carterton Medical Centre, 163/159 High St | Gambling Harm Awareness Day | The Salvation Army Oasis |
| Greytown | Wed 5 Sept 1pm - 4pm | Greytown Medical Centre, 186 East St | Gambling Harm Awareness Day | The Salvation Army Oasis |
| Wellington | Tue 4 Sept 11am - 2pm | Salvation Army Newtown Centre, 4 Normanby st, Newtown | Creative Whānau - Art Workshop | 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 - Fashion Parade | Te Taeaomanino Trust, Ora Toa Mauri Ora, Problem Gambling Foundation, and Salvation Army Oasis |
| Wellington | Sat 8 Sept 12pm to 2pm | Walter Nash Park, Basketball Courts, Reynold Street & Tocker Street, Taita | Streetball with Kenny McFadden | Te Taeaomanino Trust and Salvation Army Oasis |
| Nelson |
Mon 3 Sept 8:30am - 9:30am & 1:30pm - 3:30pm OR Tues 4 Sept 1:30pm - 3:30pm |
Victory Community Centre, 2 Totara St, Nelson South | Gambling Harm Awareness Day | Addiction Advice and Assessment Services |
| Nelson | Wed 5 Sept 10am - 2pm | Nelson Library, 27 Halifax St | Gambling Harm Awareness Day | Addiction Advice and Assessment Services |
| Nelson | Thu 6 Sept 10am - 2pm | Nelson New World Supermarket, 73 Vanguard St | Gambling Harm Awareness Day | Addiction Advice and Assessment Services |
| Nelson |
Tue 11 Sept 9:30am - 1:30pm Wed 12 Sept 9:30am - 1:30pm |
Richmond Mall, Cnr Queen Croucher and Talbot streets | Gambling Harm Awareness Day | Addiction Advice and Assessment Services |
| Nelson | Thu 13 Sept 10am - 2pm | Nelson New World Supermarket, 73 Vanguard St | Gambling Harm Awareness Day | Addiction Advice and Assessment Services |
| Nelson | Wed 19 Sept 12pm - 1pm | SANITI, NMIT, 322 Hardy St | Gambling Harm Awareness Day | Addiction Advice and Assessment Services |
| Christchurch | Tue 4 Sept 12:30pm - 1:30pm | Dance-o-mat, 129 Gloucester St | Lunch Time Rave | Problem Gambling Foundation, Salvation Army Oasis and Mapu Maia |
| Christchurch | Wed 5 Sept 3:30pm - 4:30pm | Grass Games between Gloucester St and Worcester St | Free Kai and Events | Problem Gambling Foundation, Salvation Army Oasis and Mapu Maia |
| Christchurch | Thu 6 Sept 6:30pm | Hoyts Northland, 55 Main North Road, Papanui | Free Movie Night - Mama Mia 2 (PG) | Problem Gambling Foundation and Salvation Army Oasis |
| Christchurch | Fri 7 Sept 4pm | Hoyts Riccarton Rotherham St, Riccarton | Free Movie Night - Luis and the Aliens (PG) | Problem Gambling Foundation and Salvation Army Oasis |
| Christchurch | Sat 8 Sept 10:30am - 4pm | Eskinita-Filipino market, The Commons, 70 Kilmore Street | Free Kai and Events | Problem Gambling Foundation, Salvation Army Oasis and Mapu Maia |
| Dunedin | Thu 6 Sept 11am - 3pm | Otago University Union, 640 Cumberland Street North | Pause for Whānau Event | The Salvation Army Oasis |
| Dunedin | Mon to Fri, 3-7 Sept from 9am - 5pm | Salvation Army Reception Area, 160 Crawford St | Pause for Whānau Event | The Salvation Army Oasis |
| Dunedin | Mon to Fri, 3-7 Sept from 9am - 5pm | Salvation Army Family Store, 557 Princes St | Pause for Whānau Event | The Salvation Army Oasis |
| Dunedin | Mon to Fri, 3-7 Sept from 9am - 5pm | Dunedin Public Library, 230 Moray Pl | Pause for Whānau Event | The Salvation Army Oasis |
| Milton | Mon to Fri, 3-7 Sept from 9am - 5pm | Salvation Army Family Store, 112 Union St | Pause for Whānau Event | The Salvation Army Oasis |
| Balclutha | Mon to Fri, 3-7 Sept from 9am - 5pm | Salvation Army Family Store, 44 Clyde St | Pause for Whānau Event | The 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 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