Yesterday, the considered amendment in the Dunedin City Council policy regarding a slow but progressive reduction in the amount of gambling sites across the city finally saw a hearing on the matter take place. At the time of the hearing, pleas to focus on community harm and warnings of funding cuts for community sports emerged.
As previously reported by Casino Guardian, some changes have been proposed to the council in terms of its gambling and TAB venue policy. In case that a change is eventually added to the Dunedin City Council policy, would see the South Dunedin’s sinking lid policy on pokies extended to the entire city. Potential changes would also suspend new gambling facilities and would impose a ban on relocation of the existing ones.
The so-called sinking lid policy was taken up in 2013, with this year seeing the latest review of South Dunedin policy in terms of gambling and TAB. It means that staff numbers would be reduced by not finding a replacement for the employees who have resigned or retired from city’s venues which offer poker machines.
A total of 56 submissions were made in terms of the new policy, with 35 of them backing the change. Still, the hearing on the proposed sinking lid policy saw more opponents of the change, with the organisations which argued against the move prevailing in number.
The organisations which protested against the move included the Class 4 Working Party which represented the majority of gaming association venues. Also, a number of gaming trusts as well as the Dunedin sports organisation took place in the debates and raised their voices against the proposed sinking lid policy.
Sports organisations shared their concerns that the new policy could put them under threat in case it is adopted. For example, the amount of AU$40,000 which Dunedin Netball received in 2017 accounted only for approximately 15% of its annual income. The former general manager of the organisation and a current volunteer Lee-Anne Anderson said that Dunedin Netball counted on such funding to cover various costs and without it members would have to be the ones to cover more costs, which on the other hand would bring a reduction in participation numbers.
Present Gambling and TAB Venue Policy
At present times, there is a requirement for local councils to adopt a special policy in terms of gambling under the country’s Gambling Act. Still, the final decision whether a certain gambling license to be given the green light or refused, is made by the Department of Internal Affairs.
As mentioned above, August 2013 saw the presently active Policy adopted by the Dunedin City Council. At the time when this happened, the number of Class 4-categorised gambling venues and the gaming machines offered there, was decreasing. Despite that, the authority remained focused on taking the necessary measures to reduce the possible gambling-related harm across the community.
This was also the paramount goal sought when the existing Gambling and TAB Venue Policy was taken up. Moreover, the Policy was also aimed at making sure that its rules adequately reflect the points of view of both the local community and the Dunedin City Council.
The last review of the Council’s Gambling Policy was made in 2015 in order to justify a possible adoption of a sinking lid policy. The last decade and a half saw the number of gaming machines decline, but the rates of problem gambling remained pretty much unchanged. According to some experts, adding more restrictions to the existing Policy would make more people go online to gamble.
- Author
Daniel Williams
