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A spokesperson for the Church, Father Ioane Ono, was recently reported as saying the Catholic church is not too concerned about the casinos opening on Sundays. “Gambling is optional. It is a matter of a person’s choice,” he said. “There is no specific teachings of the [Catholic] church with regards to gambling,” says Father Ioane. Read more
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Nine out of every 10 people in Auckland want cuts to the number of poker machines in the poorest and most vulnerable parts of the city. A Curia poll found support from 87 per cent of respondents as lawmakers prepare to set new rules governing the availability of poker machines. Across the Auckland region there Read more
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SkyCity asked for taxpayers to pay for the marketing and promotion of the international convention centre. The Auditor-General’s report into the Government’s handling of the SkyCity deal revealed the promotional incentive was sought by the casino in September 2010. However, the Government has ruled out the annual payment. The 2009 feasibility study into the convention Read more
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Claud Cockburn, the perceptive British journalist, once remarked with characteristic assurance that Catholics could never run a book on the papal election. It would be blasphemy, he said, because Catholics believe that the Pope is chosen by the Holy Spirit. I found the comment intriguing. It was factually counter-intuitive because Catholics I knew were prepared Read more
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Samoa will have its first casino in six months after two licences have been granted, one to beach resort, Aggie Grey’s, and another to Chinese company ETG. Reverend Maauga Motu, general secretary of Samoa’s National Council of Churches, told Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat less fortunate Samoans are likely to be hardest hit by the development Read more
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A nun with a gambling addiction is facing criminal grand larceny charges for embezzling funds from two parishes in upstate New York. She reportedly stole $NZ155,000 and spent it at casinos while working as a pastoral associate. Continue reading
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Churches in French Polynesia have spoken out against suggestions that the Sofitel Maeva Beach Hotel, which is due to close in November, be turned into a casino. Church leaders have told the local press that they doubt a casino will benefit tourism, warning of negative outcomes for the poor. A Tahiti-based businessman, Franck Falletta, has Read more
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The Mana Party has led a protest against a South Auckland fast food shop that is operating pokie machines despite not having a licence. About a dozen people waved placards outside the Galaxy Takeaways shop in Otara last Saturday morning. The shop’s 18 pokies have been operating without a licence since it was revoked by Read more
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The Prime Minister of Samoa, Tuilaepa Fatialofa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi, well known for his light hearted comments to the media, is suggesting that the country’s National Council of Churches was acting in a similarly jocular manner when it warned of the perils of casinos and gambling in Samoa. Last week the Chairman of NCC, Reverend Read more
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Two casinos have been approved by the government of Samoa. One is expected to be on the main island of Upolu and the other on the beautiful Savaii. A $400-500 million resort at Sasina village on Savaii has also been approved. But the Chief Executive officer of the South Pacific Development group says he had Read more
