In July 2012, the Bluegrass Trust had its poker machine license suspended, due to the organization’s breach of New Zealand’s Gambling Act. Now, the pokie operator has appealed the decision in hopes of having its license restored. The decision will be presided over in the High Court. New Zealand’s Gambling Commission suspended the trust’s license due to a number of transgressions that the group had made.
It has been alleged that the Bluegrass Trust had promised to provide certain groups with pokie grants in return for receive grants from them. The Bluegrass Trust has also been accused of providing the gambling commission with false information in order to obtain its license and establish the trust in the first place. The Bluegrass Trust operators 117 poker machines across the area and has awarded $3 million in pokie grants on an annual basis.
In the three years since the trust was established, it seemed to have done some valuable work, providing several groups across the country with funding for their activities. Unfortunately, it seems that a number of these grants were not legitimately secured, as the Bluegrass Trust has been involved in some shady dealings. In order to for community groups to obtain poker machine grants, they must submit an application to a pokie trust.
The trust and the applicant cannot have any other agreements, which is why The Bluegrass Trust has violated the terms of its license. For the time being, while the appeal is heard, the group will have its licensed restored – but gaming experts are not optimistic that this will last. Pokie trusts are meant to benefit the community, putting the needs of local groups before their own.
The Bluegrass Trust did not act in this matter, and will face the appropriate consequences for its actions.
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