Māori public health organization raises concern over online casino scams
Māori public health group Hāpai te Hauora Māori Public Health has warned that online gambling platforms are using fake online profiles to target Māori people in New Zealand.
Many of these profiles feature pictures of people with traditional Māori moko kauae chin tattoos and provide fake backstories to tempt people to play at offshore online casinos.
Hāpai te Hauora Chief Operating Officer Jason Alexander told The New Zealand Herald, “It’s really dangerous. A lot of these are clear scams, so we don’t even know if they are linking through to real online casinos or somewhere to try and get your credit card details. It really is disgusting behaviour.”
New Zealand does not currently permit online casinos to operate in the country, but many offshore platforms will accept players from New Zealand.
While many argue that a regulated industry provides safeguards against such scam operators, Alexander does not approve of the New Zealand government’s plans to legalize online casinos and provide 15 licenses for online casino operations.
“We don’t think that all of a sudden they’re going to start behaving ethically just because they get one of these licenses,” Alexander said.
Recently, 50 sporting bodies in New Zealand joined to oppose the online casino bill, claiming it will negatively impact the sports industry in the country.
Dig deeper
2025/01/30: Harvard panel addresses public health risks associated with proliferation of gambling in the U.S.
2025/04/30: NCAA gambling data sale sparks public health concerns
2025/02/26: British Columbia Lottery Corporation warns residents over online casino scams
2025/04/22: United Nations warns of US$40 billion in Asian gambling and fraud scams
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