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National

Pokies under fire as rules review kicks off

The government has begun a review of pokie rules and Internal Affairs Minister Jan Tinetti is calling it a “chance to create serious change” by early next year.

This comes after years of criticism of pokie machines in poorer and ethnic areas of the country, with experts saying up to 250,000 adults, more than the population of Wellington, struggle with some form of gambling issues.

Tinetti said today the pokie review aims to target and reduce harm experienced by people who use pokies and people close to them.

“Harmful pokies gambling account for the majority of referrals to gambling treatment providers, and for much of the second-hand gambling harm experienced by a gambler’s whānau and friends.”

“Pokies are known to be the most harmful form of land-based gambling in Aotearoa, and this review will target ways to reduce harm experienced by people who use pokies and those close to them,” Tinetti said.

“Gambling harm tends to affect those who can least afford it and may already be experiencing social or financial challenges. This includes our Māori and Pacific communities.”

250,000 problem gamblers

“Gambling can not only lead to debt but also financial hardship, family violence, relationship strain and difficulties sustaining employment, among other harms,” she said.

Data from the 2020 Health and Lifestyles Survey indicates about 10 percent of New Zealanders play pokies, with one in five players considered to be at-risk from gambling harm.

However, Problem Gambling Foundation spokesperson Te Rukutia Tongaawhikau told Te Ao Māori News last month the real figure is 250,000 people.

Siobhan Kemp, a public health worker for the Salvation Army Oasis programme also backed that, saying the number the industry touted was reduced by omitting gamblers termed moderate and low risk; she said there was actually a crisis of addiction.

“Twenty-eight percent of people who play the pokies once a month or more are experiencing moderate to severe harm, and a further 21 percent are experiencing low-

“In short, almost half of regular pokie gamblers are in trouble,” Kemp said.

Discouraging continuous gambling

Tinetti  says the review will bring greater clarity over what venues need to recognise and manage at-risk gamblers, how pokie machine features can assist, and enforcement tools for non-compliance with gambling harm minimisation rules such as:

  • more prescriptive tools to help venue staff to identify concerning gambling behaviour, and
  • making changes to some of the machine's features to discourage continuous, harmful gambling.

That could answer some critics who note that the Internal Affairs Department hjas always objected to using face recognition technology for people attempting to have themselves banned from gambling venues despite  a New Zealand company in 2013 developing a world-first facial recognition system that submits images of problem gamblers to a national database so they're excluded from gambling venues.

Tinetti said gambling could not only lead to debt but also financial hardship, family violence, relationship strain and difficulties sustaining employment, among other harms.

“We encourage any community or individual who wishes to get involved with the review to have their say, by providing feedback and ideas on the proposed changes.”

Feedback sought

Feedback from public consultation in addition to harm treatment providers, societies and gambling venues will help us create regulations informed by gamblers, their whānau and friends, and people who work with those experiencing harm,” she said.

Public consultation began today and will run for six weeks. Go to www.dia.govt.nz/reducingpokiesharm to read the public discussion document, including quick reads in several languages.

Tinetti hopes to have “more appropriate” harm minimisation regulations for pokies by the first half of 2023.

The pokie rules review aims to:

  • provide a mechanism to tackle pokies harm in the short-term
  • aims to target and reduce the harm experienced by people who use pokies and their whānau and friends
  • work with venues on what they need to do to recognise and manage at-risk gamblers
  • look at pokie machine features which could make machines safer to play
  • strengthen enforcement tools for non-compliance with gambling harm minimisation rules