Today, Whangarei District Council will meet to discuss its Class 4 Gambling Bylaws. One of the important issues that is up for discussion is whether or not to maintain its sinking lid policy on pokies – and responsible gambling groups are urging council members to continue reducing the number of poker machines in the area. As part of the district’s Class 4 Gambling Laws, a sinking lid policy is in place.

This means that the number of poker machines in Whangarei will be reduced over time. This is done by ensuring that clubs cannot sell or transfer games and prevents clubs from moving their pokies if they relocate. It also prevents any new pokie venues from being opened. The aim of this type of policy is to reduce the potential harm that pokies can do by making them less accessible to vulnerable individuals.

Recently, the policy has come up for debate. The local government decided that it would dispose of the sinking lid policy and opt for a cap on poker machines instead, which simply places a limit on the number of pokies allowed in Whangarei. It would not only fail to get rid of any machines; it would also allow for 22 new pokies to be introduced into the community. However, few local residents are on board with the idea.

262 submissions were made, and over 250 of them opposed the council’s plan to do away with the existing sinking lid policy. “Why is council again proposing to go against the overwhelming majority of interested submitters?", asks Tim Howard, spokesperson for the Whangarei Gambling Action Group. While a significant portion of the population opposes the idea of introducing a pokies cap, many council members support the idea.

Today’s council meeting will certainly include a heated discussion on the issue, and we will keep you updated with any new developments that arise.

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.