A Te Whatu Ora Te Matau a Māui Hawke's Bay spokeswoman said the victim is a man in his early 60s and remains in Hawke's Bay Hospital in a serious condition.
Police took the 25-year-old man into custody on the Friday evening following the incident.
The man will appear in Hastings District Court on October 4.
The police spokesman said inquiries are ongoing to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The spokesman said police are not seeking anyone else in relation to the incident.
A man working at Zabeels said police had visited the premises, but declined to comment further when contacted by Hawke's Bay Today.
A police spokeswoman earlier confirmed a stabbing at an address on the street.
A worker at a restaurant across the road said they saw an ambulance, and they understood the victim was taken from the pokie lounge into the ambulance.
