It has recently been discovered that the New Zealand Racing Board is making plans to get involved in the poker machine market. The racing body has been in touch with several pubs and clubs across the country, inquiring about potentially purchasing the properties.
The Racing Board itself seems to be the only party on board with the plan, while other politicians grow concerned about the potential negative effects it could have on the community. This week, pokie clubs have admitted that they have been approached by representatives from the racing board. It seems that the group is interested in pubs with high pokie turnovers, so that it can take control of the games and reap the profits.
Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell recently proposed the Harm Reduction Bill, which aimed to prevent the local racing industry from claiming pokie profits. Although the provision has been dropped from the bill, Flavell still believes that it would be wrong for the racing board to profit from pokies. He states that one form of gambling should not be permitted to subsidise another.
Pokie trusts across the country are also not impressed with the plan. These organizations distribute poker machine profits to various not-for-profit groups across the country. The racing board is already a recipient of significant pokie revenue, and pokie trust representatives do not believe that would be fair if the sports body were able to reap even more.
"I'm very concerned if the racing board is looking to grow its class 4 [pokie] gambling at the expense of wider community funders,” says a pokie trust representative. “I know everyone doesn't like our model but what we return goes to a wide range of sporting and community causes and theirs will not." Pokie trusts are expecting protest the New Zealand Racing Board’s actions and file a complaint with the Department of Internal Affairs.
However, the DIA could not be reached for comment.
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