Casino agrees to licence revision
Christchurch Casino has agreed to create a new charitable fund and a community liaison group if its application to renew its venue licence is approved.
The casino is the first in New Zealand to seek a licence renewal. It agreed at a hearing before the New Zealand Gambling Commission yesterday to add new conditions to its venue licence, should that licence be renewed.
The conditions would specify a minimum annual contribution to the casino’s independent charitable trust, the establishment of a new discretionary charitable fund, and the creation of a new community liaison group.
The hearing is set down for three days, during which four commissioners will hear oral submissions from the casino, the Problem Gambling Foundation, Salvation Army Oasis and the Christchurch City Council.
More than 70 written submissions were received.
The casino’s original licence does not require it to contribute a specific amount to an independent charitable trust, but the city council’s submission called for it to be set at the greater of 2.5 per cent of the casino’s net profit or $500,000 a year. It had a $16.1 million operating profit in 2017, of which 2.5 per cent is $402,500.
Casino counsel Jo Appleyard said the casino had since agreed to pay the greater of 2.5 per cent of its net profit, or $250,000.
Christchurch Casino also agreed to create a new annual discretionary fund of $100,000. Any money left in the fund at the end of any year would be transferred to its charitable trust fund. Chief executive Brett Anderson said the fund would give the casino more flexibility over when it contributed to charities, as the trust’s grants were usually all made about November. The casino also agreed to establish a formal community liaison group to work on issues like problem gambling. Casino asset protection and responsible gambling manager Darren Henderson said the casino already held three meetings a year with problem gambling service providers and the Department of Internal Affairs, but the new group would include organisations such as police.
The full details of the new group would be worked out later with other organisations, he said. Chief gambling commissioner Graeme Reeves said yesterday’s hearing was the first time a casino in New Zealand had needed to apply to renew its licence. Christchurch Casino was New Zealand’s first casino when it opened in 1994 and its licence is due to expire on November 4, 2019.
If the licence renewal is granted, which will not be known immediately following the hearing, the casino will be able to operate at its current location for another 15 years.