Far North pokie machine sinking lid policy working, says district council

Far North District Council has confirmed no new pokie machines will be allowed in the region as it continues with its sinking lid policy on the controversial gambling machines.

No new pokie machines will be allowed in the Far North after the district council reconfirmed its sinking lid policy on the gambling machines that take millions of dollars out of the region every year.

The council on Thursday reconfirmed a sinking lid policy on pokies, meaning no new gambling machines are allowed in the Far North and redistribution of existing machines will continue to be restricted.

The decision was made after a review of the Class 4 Gaming and TAB Venue Policy (2014).

The sinking lid policy was adopted in 2014 and includes strict rules for relocating Class 4 gaming venues. It means new premises must be at least 100m away from schools, marae, places of worship and other community facilities. The policy also prohibits stand-alone TAB venues in the district that are not on licensed premises. The policy does not control TAB outlets on licensed premises.

Community consultation on the policy change was held in February, with 30 public submissions received. Of those, 29 were either fully or partly in support of the policy extension.

When reviewing the policy, the council considered the social impact of gambling, noting issues of harm tend to be concentrated in more socially deprived (poorer) areas, affecting those who can least afford to lose money through gambling.

It found 17 of the 19 Class 4 gaming venues in the district are in “very high” or “medium high” deprivation areas. Between 2014 and September 2020, the number of pokie machine venues in the district decreased 24 per cent and the number of pokie machines fell 13 per cent, which the council says shows the policy is working.

In 2019, the total spent on Class 4 gaming in the Far North district was $15.7 million, but only $2.4 million (15 per cent) was returned as direct grants to community groups in the district.

Ministry of Health research shows 49 per cent of people who play pokies and 26 per cent of those who bet on races or sports at least monthly, reported experiencing gambling harm.

Problems associated with gambling harm include:

• Impacts on an individual’s physical, emotional and psychological health
• Financial difficulties including bankruptcy
• Reduced employment performance
• Relationship conflicts, family violence and neglect of children
• Criminal activity such as theft and fraud.

If you, or someone you know, is experiencing harm from gambling, contact Safer Gambling Aotearoa for guidance and support on freephone 0800 654 655 or free text 800. The service operates 24 hours a day.