Rotorua District Council has taken an interest in problem gambling issues over a number of years:
- In November 1999, as a result of public concern, the Council lobbied for Central Government to recognise problem gambling as a health issue.
- In December 2001 the Council established a Gambling Review Subcommittee to identify the scope of activities in Rotorua and assess ways to minimise community harm.
- In recent years the Council made submissions on the Gambling Review; various proposed regulations under the Gambling Act 2003; and the draft national Strategy for Preventing and Minimising Problem Gambling Harm.
- In March 2004 the Council adopted a Gambling Venue Policy that capped the number of gambling machines in the District. The cap was set well below the current number of machines. Although it will take many years for the cap to be approached through attrition, the intention was to send a signal to the gambling industry that there were too many pokie machines in the District.
The Gambling Act 2003 requires that Council review the 2004 Gambling Venue Policy in 2007. At a meeting on 3 April 2007 Council resolved to endorse the Draft Gambling Venue Policy and to seek public feedback.
Three changes are proposed to be made to the current policy as follows:
- To change the objectives of the policy to bring them into line with the objectives of the Gambling Act 2003.
- References to distances between existing and new venues be clarified as meaning "as measured along the footpath".
- Inclusion of a new proposed condition to ensure that any new venue which seeks to have gaming machines is not able to locate in a commercial zone which has a deprivation score of 8 or above, as defined by the NZ Deprivation Index.
It is proposed to retain the cap on existing machine numbers at 380. The number of existing gaming machines currently in operation in premises within the District totals 432. No new facilities will be able to obtain a consent to install gaming machines until the cap has been reached.
Council invites your written submission on the proposed draft policy. Submissions are to be made by Friday 18 May 2007.
Copies of the proposed draft policy and submission form can be downloaded below or requested from Council (phone 348 4199 extension 8066 or 8242).
Proposed Draft Policy 768KB
Submission Form (including letter to stakeholders) 297KB
For further information on gambling legislation and statistics refer to the Department of Internal Affairs website.