Two applications for the addition of more gaming machines in the districts of Taupō and Tūrangi have been rejected.
An application for the addition of five poker machines, also known as pokies, have been filed by Tokaanu-Tūrangi RSA. The company was willing to add the gambling terminals to the offering at the 11 and Grandeur Thermal Spa Resort and have shared its ambitions to open a new gaming venue with up to nine pokies available to visitors.
Unfortunately, neither application fully met the Class 4 Gambling and TAB Venue policy, so the decision whether to approve it or not was brought to the local Council. Eventually, the Council decided to reject both applications. As a matter of fact, a couple of years ago, in 2017, Taupō District Council planned to make a reduction in the number of poker machines permitted in the district. The Council wanted to cut the number of pokies from 225 to 192 in order to reduce the access to such gambling options to local players.
At the time, gamblers in the Taupō district were spending on poker machines over NZ$8 million on an annual basis. Only a small part of the money was brought back to the local community.
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Previously, a Policy objective for a maximum of 191 pokies is in place. In addition, the local Council has also set a rule under which gambling only occurs in the town centres of Taupō, Mangakino and Tūrangi.
Both applications, however, were not in line with the Policy’s parameters regarding the location and the poker machines’ number, which was also the reason for a recommendation for rejection of the application was made. For the time being, there are 151 pokies operating in the region, as their number was reduced from 175 in 2017.
A number of gambling terminals had already been purchased by Tokaanu-Tūrangi RSA from Taupō RSA. The operator has made a request to have them added to the already existing 11 machines. The operator has seen the pokies as an important addition to their offering in order to be able to keep its viability on the market.
Scott Devonport, TDC consents and regulatory manager, explained that under the Policy, there is a maximum limit for nine machines unless they merge with another club which also offers such gambling terminals. The proposal, however, does not include a merge between clubs.
There were councillors from the Tūrangi/Tongariro ward both in favour and against the application. According to the proponents of the application, the RSA’s are declining nationally, and the addition of pokies could help the region sustain them for a bit longer. On the other hand, the opponents of the application believed that there was no need for more gambling machines to be added, as they could end up encouraging more people to start gambling and have a negative impact on their lives.
- Author
Olivia Cole
