Plan to cut back on pokies

The Waikato District Council wants to align its gambling venues policy with other local authorities and reduce the number of gambling venues in the district. There are 19 venues operating 243 pokie machines in the Waikato. The council wants public feedback by August 11. In the proposed change, relocation of a venue with pokie machines would not be allowed unless the old venue were physically incapable of being used. However, the vendor would not be allowed to relocate to within 100m of another gambling machine venue or near a kindergarten, early childhood centre, school, place of worship or community facility.