This week, the SkyCity convention centre legislation will be presented to Parliament. The legislation will allow SkyCity to install 230 new pokies in return for the casino operator’s construction of Auckland’s new convention centre. The Greens have prepared some potential amendments to the legislation which will aim to reduce the potential harm that could be caused by the newly relaxed gambling laws.

The Greens oppose the deal altogether, and their amendments reflect this stance. Firstly, the group has presented an amendment that deletes clause 6, which would authorize the local government to make regulatory concessions for SkyCity and provide SkyCity with more benefits than the Agreement allows.

The Greens have also proposed the deletion of clause 9, ensuring that the Gambling Commission must comply with the Gambling Act when there is an inconsistency between this legislation and New Zealand’s Gambling Act 2003.

“MPs who are currently supporting this legislation need to rethink their position or at the very least support our supplementary order papers that seek to minimise some of the social harm this legislation enables,” reads a statement from The Greens. Greens Co-Leader Metiria Turei has also proposed that a new clause which would introduce a series of harm minimisation measures, including compulsory pre-commitment.

The casino operator would also be prohibited from advertising directly to excluded players and offering inducements. She also aims to bring SkyCity Auckland aligned with other Class 4 gambling venues by prohibiting gambling between the hours of 4am and 8am.

Additionally, an independent regulator would be required to evaluate the casino’s host responsibility program to ensure that players are being properly looked after by staff and management. If the amendments are approved, the casino operator will also have to publish an annual impact report on SkyCity Auckland.

This report would provide the general public with a good idea of the type of influence the casino has on the local community and its residents.

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.