Masterbowl pushes for on-site pokies

Approval for nine pokies to be put in Masterbowl is being considered by Masterton District Council's hearings committee.

The council has a "sinking lid" gambling policy, which means no new gambling venues can be opened. The policy also says any gaming machine not used for six months cannot be reactivated, replaced or transferred to a new site.

Pelorus Community Trust had nine machines at The Aberdeen restaurant and bar but stopped operating them in September 2012.

The trust and Masterbowl now want them in the bowling alley but have to meet the criteria under the policy's "extraordinary circumstances".

Masterbowl manager director Darrin Pilcher and manager Angie Flemming said they wanted to be on a level playing field with other businesses. They were not asking for an increase in pokie machines in Masterton, just to replace them, they said.

It was a form of entertainment to bring in business, said Mr Pilcher. "We are not trying to encourage gambling."

Pelorus Trust chief executive Scott Simmiss said the gambling policy contradicted itself and the terms were open to debate. "It certainly isn't a sinking lid policy."

Hearings committee member Jane Terpstra said it was a sinking lid policy and was intended to reduce the number of pokies in the district.

Under the policy, a maximum of 116 machines are allowed in Masterton. At the moment, there are 107 in operation.

Mr Simmiss said if the pokies were granted it would still only take the number to the maximum amount of pokies allowed in Masterton. He said there was no evidence that putting the pokies in would create any more gamblers.

The term "sinking lid" has become fashionable and "PC", he said. People would always have vices and getting rid of pokies wouldn't mean the money would be spent sensibly.

The applicants said online gambling was more of a problem than pokies.

Representatives from Regional Public Health and CareNZ made submissions against the Masterbowl application at the hearing on Wednesday.

CareNZ Public health promoter Aiden Broughton said the fact that the policy was in the place meant councils were aware of the harm from gambling. "Local councils are listening to the people, this is why councils have taken up the policy." The harm from pokies was disproportionate to the benefits, he said.

If people were not spending their money on pokies, they might spend it on more sensible things, like lunch for their kids, said Mr Broughton.

He said the policy didn't allow for new applications and Masterbowl's application was outside the six months' limit. It also didn't meet "extraordinary circumstances". "Extraordinary circumstances means it's out of their control."

Clare McLennan-Kissel from Regional Public Health agreed with Mr Broughton.

She said reinstating the nine gaming machines at Masterbowl meant that it was a new venue taking the place of The Aberdeen, which went against the policy's intent.

She was also concerned that the vulnerable groups generating the money didn't get the money back. "The amount is high for Masterton, that could be spent on other business, and reducing the amount of machines is a way to do that."

The council had the power to reduce the risk of new problem gambling, she said.

Ministry of Health research shows there is a strong relationship between increasing the number of pokie machines and the prevalence of problem gambling.

Dr Jill McKenzie, also from Regional Public Health, said having pokies at a bowling alley would be a more acceptable way for people to access them.

It would also expose young people to gambling at a young age, she said.

Masterbowl was a family venue, said Mr Broughton. "You've got young kids that could slip into there."

In response to the submitters' concerns, Mr Pilcher said kids walked into supermarkets every day and were exposed to Lotto and scratchies.

He said there would be a camera system in place at Masterbowl and their workers would be trained to identify problem gamblers.

"We realise there are people with issues, we are not going to turn a blind eye to problem gamblers."