Payments to venue operators hosting machines are capped by law and most operators, after deducting their costs, receive less than 3 per cent of gaming machine profits for their risk and efforts.
Your story does these local business owners a serious disservice while ignoring the fact that they raise many millions of dollars in funding and tax for the community.
The adage that "there are two sides to every story" appears to have escaped your staff.
Martin Cheer, Chief Executive, Pub Charity, Wellington
FOOTNOTE: The reported information was supplied to Hawke's Bay Today by Te Rangihaeata Oranga Trust.
Telly should back off
Many people I have spoken with are disappointed by, unhappy with, and totally fed-up by, the importance that the media (particularly television) assumes selfishly, for itself.
The country's general election is the last instance where television's front people took the stage, donned their airs of superiority and self-importance and told us what we the public thought and how we would vote before we actually had done so.
They even took away any excitement attached to this event by removing all feelings of anticipation.
Having decided that we were incapable of recording and noting parliamentary seats won and lost (as once we used to on your paper's charts) they predicted, pontificated, judged and condemned with strutting pomp, in an extremely boring fashion.
To ensure that we all (especially the young ones) retain interest in our country's future, we need to be involved in the interesting bits and the excitement.
Somehow, the media people have adopted a very intrusive and joy-stealing role by giving us the results of major games before they have been played.
Could you help them, understand that many of us would like them to back off?
M Campbell, Havelock North.
