New Caledonia's members of the French National Assembly have spoken out against a major French lottery and betting agency expanding into the territory.
Philippe Gomes and Sonia Lagarde say if the company Francaise des Jeux moves into New Caledonia it will have the same damaging effect on the less well-off families as in French Polynesia.
Mr Gomes says in addition millions of dollars in profits go from Tahiti to France and the same would happen in New Caledonia.
The two say the rival anti-independence Rassemblement-UMP helped the company pass the first hurdle for a concession as part of a project to finance an additional television channel, which they are opposed to.
They say there is bingo which has a social link and there are casinos that employ about 500 people.
