The Gaming Machine Association of New Zealand (GMANZ) is appalled at the abuse of the grants system carried out by Mark Cini, the former sports director of Action Indoor Sports Centre Hornby.

Cini has pleaded guilty to creating false documents to steal more than $180,000 worth of grants for sports gear from various organisations.

GMANZ Independent Chair, Peter Dengate Thrush, said that actions like this undermine the grants system and should not be tolerated.

"The breach of trust is clearly very severe and funds being taken from a community grant pool is beyond unacceptable. This is a deliberate abuse of a good-faith relationship. Like the rest of the community, GMANZ has zero sympathy for someone caught appropriating funds to be used for their own benefit. We have been calling for a regulator who will act effectively on illegal and unethical behaviour in the sector and we are pleased to see action taken to bring those in breach to justice."

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