Contact Info
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City:
Otago -
Country/Location:
New Zealand -
Website:
kiwitreasure.net
Dr. Maya Tan is a New Zealand-based researcher specialising in online gambling behaviour, addiction psychology, and harm reduction strategies within Aotearoa's unique cultural context. Based in Wellington, she combines academic rigour with lived experience - her personal connection to gambling harm through family shaped her commitment to understanding why some players maintain control while others spiral into addiction.
After completing her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Victoria University of Wellington in 2016, Maya shifted focus from traditional addiction research toward the emerging online gambling landscape. Her work examines how offshore casino platforms - including sites like Kiwi Treasure- design user experiences that influence player decision-making, spending patterns, and risk-taking behaviour.
Over eight years, Maya has interviewed more than 340 New Zealand gamblers across the full spectrum: recreational players who maintain healthy boundaries, individuals in early stages of problematic behaviour, and those recovering from severe gambling addiction. This qualitative approach reveals patterns that purely statistical analysis misses - the emotional triggers, cognitive distortions, and social pressures that shape gambling decisions.
Her published research appears in the Journal of Gambling Studies, Addiction Research & Theory, and New Zealand Medical Journal. Her 2023 paper on personalised bonus offers and extended play sessions has been cited 47 times and influenced responsible gambling policy discussions in New Zealand and Australia.
After completing her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Victoria University of Wellington in 2016, Maya shifted focus from traditional addiction research toward the emerging online gambling landscape. Her work examines how offshore casino platforms - including sites like Kiwi Treasure- design user experiences that influence player decision-making, spending patterns, and risk-taking behaviour.
Over eight years, Maya has interviewed more than 340 New Zealand gamblers across the full spectrum: recreational players who maintain healthy boundaries, individuals in early stages of problematic behaviour, and those recovering from severe gambling addiction. This qualitative approach reveals patterns that purely statistical analysis misses - the emotional triggers, cognitive distortions, and social pressures that shape gambling decisions.
Her published research appears in the Journal of Gambling Studies, Addiction Research & Theory, and New Zealand Medical Journal. Her 2023 paper on personalised bonus offers and extended play sessions has been cited 47 times and influenced responsible gambling policy discussions in New Zealand and Australia.
Experience
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Joined APSense.com
Nov 2025