New Zealand’s new Harm Reduction Bill is aimed at helping the community by reducing problem gambling. The bill ensures that a number of provisions are enacted, including changing the way in which pokies grants are awarded to fund community organizations. Several groups have stepped forward to express their concern about potentially losing funding; now, the Northland Rugby Union has decided to protest the bill altogether.

"While undoubtedly well intentioned, we consider that the Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill is liable to be more detrimental to the community than good," a statement from the NRU reads. The rest of the submission states that the NRU believes the bill does not actually address the issue of harm reduction, “the proposed bill does not address the perceived issue that it claims in its emotive heading”.

Instead, the group claims that the only thing the new bill will be doing is harming local community groups by cutting their funding. According to the Northern Advocate, the NRU received $800 000 in pokies grants in 2011 alone. The funds were used to benefit the league in a wide range of ways, including coach accreditation, administrative support and the operation of amateur leagues.

It is one of the groups that benefits the most from pokies grants, along with most other sports across the country. This seems to be the reason why so many sports organizations have come forward to make their concerns about the new bill known. Earlier this month, the New Zealand Rugby Union estimated that participation fees would jump by 500% should funding be cut.

The news prompted other organizations to publically express their concern and make submissions for bill amendments. All in all, it may be somewhat cynical to assume that changing the way in which in funds are allocated will eliminate sports funding.

Sports are an integral part of New Zealand communities, and local city councillors, when given the power to decide how pokies funds are spent, are unlikely to disregard their beneficial impact that sports leagues have on the lives of New Zealanders.

About the Author

George Anderson
Author George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.