Jiho* came to New Zealand from Korea, and as a new immigrant worked hard to get himself into a stable job, good home, and build a loving environment for his wife and child.
But then he lost everything to gambling.
“I was carrying the stress of being an immigrant. The language barriers, cultural differences, business pressures. It became a way to escape my stress and the loneliness,” he said.
He fell into a “deep despair” and attempted suicide twice.
And unfortunately, his story is all too common.
While a fifth of New Zealaders will experience harm in their lifetime due to their own or someone else’s gambling, among the Asian community here, that figure is much higher, approximately 9.5 times more harm.
Asian Family Services (AFS) say it particularly affects new immigrants, with Chinese nationals coming from an environment where casinos are illegal, and many students from India struggling to cover expenses get drawn in.
But also many who do get addicted to gambling, do not seek help.
“Our research consistently shows that both public stigma and self-stigma deter people from reaching out for help, even after experiencing financial hardship, strained family relationships, or declining mental health,” said Kelly Feng, AFS chief executive.
It’s why AFS is launching its first national campaign, rolling out posters and billboards, as well as target Asian restaurants too. It’s been using ethnic social media, particularly sites popular among Chinese, Indian and Korean.
“This campaign is about giving a voice to the Asian community and encouraging anyone affected by gambling harm to seek help,” said Kelly Feng, “Our message is clear: break the silence – no one should have to struggle alone or in silence.”
The Ministry of Health said some population groups experience more gambling harm than others, including Māori, Pacific, and Asian people.
It said while the proportion of Asian people who gamble is relatively low when compared with other population groups, those who do gamble have historically been more likely to experience gambling harm, which is why its current gambling harm strategy has a focus on Asian people as a priority population group.
In 2023/24, New Zealanders lost $2.79 billion gambling, including over $1 billion on pokies – a 24% increase from the previous year.
For Jiho*, it was his boss who finally encouraged him to seek help, and he still regularly attends counselling through AFS.
“As an immigrant who once lost everything, I now want to use my remaining years to help others,” he said.
If you or someone you know is affected by gambling harm, Asian Family Services said it can be contacted by phone on 0800 862 342 or via asianfamilyservices.nz for free, confidential, and professional support.
*Names have been changed to protect Jiho’s identity.
