Auckland City campaign

1 December 2009 - Latest news

The period for consultation about the draft gambling venue policy ended on 5 November 2009. The final Gambling policy will be presented at the Council meeting for adoption by March 2010.

In the last 12 months in Auckland alone, almost $88 million was wagered on pokie machines outside casinos. Auckland has got 1451 pokie machines and Skycity Casino has got another whopping 1647 machines, which makes a total of 3098 pokie machines. Do we need so many machines?

Problem gambling affects us all. Students and adults are equally affected. A recent study shows that two in every three people over the age of 15 had gambled in the last 12 months. A large proportion of adults who had experienced problems due to someone's gambling in the last 12 months reported that the problems were due to pokie machines. Most of these machines are located in poorer areas and target the most vulnerable communities.

Pokie machines are the most harmful form of gambling and can cause poverty, relationship problems, crime, family violence, physical ill health, depression, suicide, and child neglect.

You can help us keep the number of pokie machines down in Auckland City.

Every Council has to have a gambling venue policy which is reviewed every three years.

Auckland City Council is reviewing their gambling venue policy. The Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand and its allies support a Sinking Lid Policy (this means the number of pokie machines and venues in Auckland City will be 'capped' and they will automatically reduce when venues close or relocate). We think that this is the only way that we can reduce the number of machines.
Although the proposed gambling venue policy for consultation by the Council says that it is a sinking lid, it has an option of relocation, which means that we will still have the machines but there may be a few less(depending on the application).

We want the council to keep their existing sinking lid policy and not consider applications for the relocation of existing venues and/or machines under any circumstances.

To read facts and figures click here

To view the flyer click here

To view the draft gambling venue policy on the Auckland City Council's website click here

For further information please contact Raj Singh Ph (09) 369 0629 or email raj.singh@pgfnz.org.nz