Restaurant gambling machines ‘appalling’

DUNEDIN’S new Cobb & Co restaurant is set to include nine gambling machines, a move the Problem Gambling Foundation calls ‘‘absolutely appalling’’.

Dunedin City Council liquor licensing coordinator Kevin Mechen yesterday said the council had processed an application, which it approved on the grounds of the geographical location of the restaurant.

The application was with the Department of Internal Affairs, which was considering it.

Cobb & Co Dunedin general manager Ange Copson said the application was for nine machines.

Mrs Copson said Cobb & Co had the machines in the past, as did other family restaurants in Dunedin.

When it was suggested the establishments she mentioned were attached to hotels, Mrs Copson said Cobb & Co would have a bar.

‘‘Every Cobb & Co has a bar, and traditionally have always had gaming machines as well.’’

Asked if she was concerned about the effect of the machines on some people, Mrs Copson said she used to be the fundraising manager for the Blind Foundation.

‘‘Without community funding through gaming machines we would really have been in trouble. I’ve seen the positive aspect of what they can give back.’’

The machines were not, however, something Cobb & Co would ‘‘actively promote’’.

It was ‘‘very lowlevel gaming’’ with a maximum $2 bet.

The machines would be in a room away from the main dining area.

‘‘Some people would dine in our restaurant and never even notice it.’’

Problem Gambling Foundation marketing and communications director Andree Froude called the move ‘‘absolutely appalling’’.

‘‘It’s a family restaurant where children go. It is somewhere where families go to dine, and I’m sure there will be many people who wouldn’t be happy about it.’’

Ms Froude said exposure of children to gambling was ‘‘all part of normalising it’’.

If an adult wanted to use the machines they could go to another venue.

‘‘They shouldn’t be in a family restaurant.’’

The Cobb & Co brand had been around for a long time, she said.

‘‘They don’t need to offer gambling, and they don’t need to offer it in an environment where there are kids.’’

The machines were the most harmful form of gambling, and the foundation wanted to keep numbers down.

Mrs Copson responded the issue came down to the responsibility of the player and the host.

Staff would be appropriately trained to look for warning signs and keep up a dialogue with patrons.

Franchises were not required to have the machines.

‘‘The Cobb brand feel that it’s low harm and we definitely structure it that way.’’

david.loughrey@odt.co.nz