maximum is 18 and after this date the maximum is nine.


Te operator fee (category A – mainly clubs and societies) is $3,611 annually whilst a new venue licence fee is $2,054 (category A).


Last year the Gambling (Problem Gambling Levy) Regulations 2022 were introduced which took effect in July last year and include the following levy rates:


l l


Gaming machine operators (1.08 per cent of player expenditure). Previously this was 0.78 per cent.


l Casinos (0.87 per cent of player expenditure). l


NZ Lotteries Commission (0.44 per cent of player expenditure).


l


NZ Racing Board (0.76 per cent of player expenditure).


l l


harm in Pokie machines and Reducing Pokies harm through stronger compliance.


Te proposed changes include: l


Venues will be required to identify harmful gambling and keep records. Operators will have to conduct three ‘sweeps’ of the Pokie area every hour to talk to players who have been gambling for three hours or more.


Staff working with gamblers are required to do mandatory annual training.


Venue design will change – so ATMs will be moved out of line of sight of the main bar area whilst Pokies cannot be visible from outside the venue.


Stronger enforcement so venues can be fined. It is proposed that infringement fees of $1,000 will be charged for a full range of offences.


The number of Pokies peaked in the early 2000s with around 25,000. The Gaming Act of 2003 was then introduced which saw new gaming machine


regulations aimed at controlling the growth of gambling. By 2022 that number was 14,750 in just over 1,000 venues (hotels and clubs) of which 80 per cent of the machines are owned by 33 corporate societies such as the NZ Community Trust or Lion Foundation. The remaining 20 per cent are located in around 190 clubs such as RSAs and Cosmopolitan Clubs.


Meanwhile a review of the Class 4 gambling was announced in October last year with several proposed changes to regulations aimed at making Pokies safer and reducing problem gambling issues.


Te review was launched by the Minister of Internal Affairs Jan Tinetti and changes are expected to be introduced by the first half of this year.


Tere are three main areas of focus which are: Reducing Pokies harm in venues; Reducing


Jan Tinetti said: ”Pokies are known to be the most harmful form of landbased gambling in New Zealand, so I’m really pleased we are making progress with strengthening the harm minimisation rules. Tese changes will help make sure that Pokie venues are identifying and acting upon harmful gambling consistently and more often.”


Te review is being supported by Hapai Te Hauora, a Māori public health group and a gambling harm prevention group.


WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS P91


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