New Zealand’s Wellington casino industry could be in for a rude awakening as new regulations designed to tackle problem gambling loom on the horizon. The ‘sinking lid’ policy is nightmare fuel for local land-based casinos as it could see pokies gradually disappear from the capital city and surrounding regions.
Wellington Councillor Tamatha Paul proposed the new policy at a council meeting but the future of the legislation is still in question at this time.
A clean sweep
There are currently 633 electronic gambling machines in the city of Wellington and a total of 938 in the entire region. Paul has proposed to reduce that number to 87 over time with the territories of Lambton and Pukehinau, Wharangi, and Onslow-Western being specifically targeted.
Paul also put forward that a previously scrapped rule that states that a gambling machine may not be hosted in any venue that has not specifically been designated as an appropriate establishment, be reinstated. This would absolutely ban any non-casino venue from having any pokies.
Brewing controversy
The sinking lid policy is understandably controversial as it could cause drastic revenue and funding losses. Arts, sports, environmental protection, health, and education organizations in Wellington receive approximately NZ$61 million from non-casino venues, particularly pubs and clubs. The proposed law would have devastating implications for the future of these entities. The council, in response to these concerns, proposed that it take over funding for these operations.
The measure may also ironically end up defunding some anti-gambling groups, triggering a chorus of protest from their end.
Phil Gibbons, Sport Wellington’s CEO reacted swiftly to the proposed regulations, calling them unacceptable and stating that locals should be educated on how much the city relies on this funding, particularly the sports sector which depends almost entirely on it.
Paula Snowden of the Problem Gambling Foundation stated that money would be taken away from those who needed it the most and that the specific focus on pokies was ill-advised.
