Josephine Bartley, an Auckland councilwoman, is advocating for reforms to New Zealand’s slot machine regulations, commonly referred to as “pokies.” She contends that the existing legislation, established in 2003, fails to provide local communities with sufficient authority to tackle the issues arising from gambling. Representing South Auckland, a region significantly impacted by gambling dependence, Bartley highlights that over half of Auckland’s individuals seeking assistance for pokie addiction originate from this area. “We require greater influence over the placement and quantity of these devices,” Bartley asserts, emphasizing their frequent concentration in disadvantaged areas already grappling with societal challenges.
Although Auckland maintains a policy to restrict the proliferation of slot machines, detractors such as Andree Froude from the Problem Gambling Foundation argue that it falls short in effectively diminishing their prevalence. Numerous local authorities express frustration, citing legal constraints that hinder their ability to adequately address the detrimental effects of pokies within their communities.
The most egregious violators must be removed from our neighborhoods,” stated Minister of Internal Affairs, Jan Tinetti, reiterating demands to reevaluate current gaming regulations. She recognized the necessity for comprehensive changes to combat the harm inflicted by wagering, especially the clustering of slot machines in at-risk areas such as South Auckland.
This comes on the heels of apprehensions voiced earlier this week by New Zealand’s proponents of responsible gaming regarding a Christchurch casino broadening its digital activities to Malta, an action they perceive as possibly aiming at susceptible demographics.
