Fewer pokies but gamblers still hard at it

We have to send a consistent, strong message that we don’t condone this.

Tim Scandrett

Councillor

Christchurch’s gambling spending is steady and among the highest in the country despite the city losing 26 gambling venues and about 300 pokie machines since the earthquakes.

A report presented to Christchurch City councillors showed about $20 million is gambled every three months in the city, similar to pre-quake levels. Per capita gambling spending last year for residents aged 15 and over was $70 – the second highest in the country behind Tauranga at $77.21.

The report on gambling has been prepared for councillors as they consider if changes are needed to the Gambling Venue and Totaliser Agency Board Venue Policy, adopted in 2009.

Under that ‘‘sinking lid’’ policy, venues with class four gambling licences (allowing gambling in pubs and clubs) can keep them, but no new licences can be approved and licences cannot be transferred unless two or more corporate societies are merging.

Since the policy took effect the number of non-casino gambling venues in Christchurch has halved from 184 to 92.

The number of pokie machines has fallen from 2386 in 2003 to 1343.

Christchurch City Council senior policy analyst Siobhan Storey said Christchurch was defying research that suggested reduced access to gambling should reduce the prevalence of gambling and problem gambling in the community.

The council’s regulation and consents committee voted to leave the gambling venue policy unchanged despite the objections of committee chairman Cr David East.

He was worried the council’s sinking lid policy could end up robbing sports and community groups of the gaming machine funding they relied on.

The council was ‘‘chopping’’ the support it provided to community groups by way of grants, he said. Through the gambling venue policy it also appeared to be chopping their access to other funds.

‘‘How far do we want this lid to sink and what impact is it having on community funding?’’ East said. ‘‘If the council is going to be decreasing its support for communities, the Government is decreasing its support for communities, who is going to pick up the slack?’’

East also voiced concern that the council’s current policy did not allow for gambling venues to relocate. ‘‘If a business, through no fault of its own, is destroyed by an earthquake, we are imposing a restraint of trade by saying they can’t take their business in its entirety to another location.’’

Cr Tim Scandrett supported leaving the policy as it was: ‘‘We have to send a consistent, strong message that we don’t condone this.’’