An Auckland council member, Josephine Bartley, is leading an initiative to grant local authorities greater authority regarding the placement of slot machines. Bartley contends that the existing legislation, enacted in 2003, presents significant obstacles for neighborhoods grappling with the adverse consequences of gambling dependency. A study conducted in 2020 disclosed that South Auckland, the district Bartley represents, exhibited a disproportionately elevated prevalence of individuals seeking assistance for slot machine addiction. Although Auckland maintains a policy aimed at prohibiting the establishment of new gambling establishments, detractors assert that further measures are necessary to effectively diminish the quantity of machines in operation.
The legislative body requires the authority to remove the most detrimental gaming devices from our neighborhoods,” stated Home Secretary Jan Tinetti, reiterating anxieties about the availability of slot machines, especially in at-risk populations. She recognized the necessity for extensive changes to tackle the wider problem of gambling-related harm.
This comes after worries were voiced earlier this week by New Zealand’s responsible gaming proponents regarding Christchurch Casino’s growth of internet gaming activities into Malta, an action perceived as possibly aiming at new and susceptible demographics.
