Hastings District Council's gambling policy to go out for public consultation

A proposed policy to reduce the number of gaming machines in Hastings is set to go out for public consultation this month. Photo / File

A proposed policy to reduce the number of gaming machines and restrict the number of TAB venues in Hastings is to go out for public consultation this month.

Territorial authorities are required to have policies so communities can have a say in how gambling operates and amend policies if gambling harm is considered an issue, under the Gambling Act 2003 and Racing Act 2003.

The policies must be reviewed every three years.

Depending on the outcome from consultation, Hastings District Council could reduce the current number of gaming machines allowed from 293 machines to 278.

According to Department of Internal Affairs research in December 2019, Hastings residents were playing more games on pokie machines, spending longer hours and betting more per game since the council's last policy review in 2017.

The district planning and bylaws subcommittee noted problem gambling disproportionately affected deprived and low-income families in the Hastings district.

The sub committee's Heretaunga Takoto Noa Māori Standing Committee representative Tania Eden said the Hastings community recognised availability and accessibility of gambling opportunities was one of the strongest predictors of problem gambling.

"Put simply, there is a general consensus that increased gambling availability has resulted in an increase in problem gambling particularly among Māori and lower socio-economic groups," she said.

District planning and bylaws subcommittee chair Kevin Watkins said offering public submissions sent a strong signal to the community about the harm gambling generated, which "cannot be sustained at this level".

• The proposal will be open for public submissions from September 12 to October 12. The public can submit online or get submission forms from the Hastings, Flaxmere and Havelock North libraries.