Grant funding from gaming trusts provides a critical lifeline for many clubs. Photo / NZME
Grant funding from gaming trusts provides a critical lifeline for many clubs. Photo / NZME
Opinion by John Wansbone
John Wansbone is the chief executive of Sport Northland, a born-and-bred Northlander and a passionate supporter of play, active recreation and sport to improve health and wellbeing outcomes.
The facts:
More than 50 sporting organisations have united in opposition to the Government’s proposed Online Casino Gambling Bill.
The bill was introduced by Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden in June.
In July, it passed its first reading 83 to 39 in a conscience vote at Parliament, gaining support from the Greens.
The Government has recently proposed a bill that seeks to regulate online casino gambling, but which carries a significant risk to the future of Northland’s sporting and recreation clubs.
While the intent of the proposed legislation is positive, particularly to tax overseas gambling operators, it omits any requirementto distribute a share of their profits back into the community.
This is a key principle of the current legislation which requires local operators such as TAB, gaming machine operators and physical casinos to redistribute millions back into community services, clubs and charities.
If the Online Casino Gambling Bill is passed, international evidence points to an increase in online gambling and a sharp decline in gaming machine use, which in turn will see a significant reduction in funding to our clubs and charities.
The community sport and recreation sector is already under immense financial strain.
Across Northland, our sporting clubs and community groups are grappling with rising operational costs, declining membership revenue, and diminishing sponsorship.
Many are barely surviving, held together by the tireless efforts of volunteers, but with limited resources and growing financial demands.
If grant funding is reduced, many of these clubs will simply not be able to continue to operate.
In many parts of Northland, especially in our rural areas, sports clubs are more than just places to play, they are the beating heart of the community.
They foster connection, resilience, and wellbeing, and provide opportunities for people to be physically active, socially engaged, and supported.
Take for instance Arapohue Bowling Club which earlier this year celebrated its 75th anniversary.
Based 10km south of Dargaville, the club has a proud history and has produced many talented bowlers.
It also plays a broader and important role within the community as the only club of any sort still operating in the area.
It provides a facility for the community to meet, connect and be active. It also plays a critical role in community and state highway roadside emergencies, with access to first aid and defibrillators.
But like many other sports clubs across Northland it is facing rising costs, ageing facilities and is hanging on by a thread, thanks to its loyal volunteers, members and grant funding.
If grant funding was cut they would not be able to maintain their bowling greens and the club would fold.
John Wansbone
Oxford Sports Trust Inc is a Whangārei based gaming trust that channels profits from gaming machines directly back into the region.
Don Armitage and the team at Oxford do an amazing job and last year more than $6 million was pumped back into Northland clubs and charities.
These funds support a wide range of initiatives from emergency and healthcare services to grassroots sports and recreational clubs.
The sector is also fortunate to be well-supported by several other regional and national gaming trusts, including Pub Charity (which distributed $3.5m into Northland last year) and Grassroots Trust (which distributed $2.7m).
At Sport Northland, our mission is to inspire and enable our communities to be more physically active, ultimately contributing to improved health outcomes.
We acknowledge that gambling can have harmful consequences, including addiction and serious mental health issues, but we also see the significant health benefits that a thriving sports club can provide to its community.
If there was an alternative to grant funding that enabled our clubs to continue to operate and provide opportunities for communities to be physically active, then the proposed bill wouldn’t be a problem.
However, for many small clubs securing additional sponsorship and membership is simply unachievable.
Grant funding from gaming trusts provides a critical lifeline for many of our clubs.
The bill, while well-intentioned, risks causing greater harm by undermining the sustainability of our clubs and their ability to deliver health benefits to our communities.
The Select Committee hearings begin next week, and it’s critical that our voice is heard by the Government.
The bill must not proceed without a requirement that a share of the profits is returned to the community.
Allowing overseas gambling operators to profit at the expense of community wellbeing is unacceptable and morally wrong.
