The Government has been under increasing pressure over the proposed deal with SkyCity, which would involve the company funding a $350 million convention centre in exchange for permission to install up to 500 more pokie machines at its Auckland casino.
Over the weekend, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce said the deal was not an example that New Zealand law was for sale, arguing that the Government altered legislation frequently to encourage economic activity.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB this morning, Mr Key agreed the arrangement was not a "done deal'', but said he hoped it would go through.
"It could always fall over like any deal we do, but New Zealand needs a national convention centre that will bring in those 200,000 visitor nights, we need the 1000 jobs that are there,'' he said.
"We've got to make sure that the appeal's there for everyone, and that doesn't just mean a fair deal for SkyCity or a fair deal for taxpayers _ there's got to be balance.
Mr Key stressed that National had reduced the number of pokie machines from 25,000 to 18,000.
"Even if this deal goes ahead, yes there'll be a few more in the short term, but overall, in fact, there'll be less over time.
"Even if you turned the whole lot off ... then people would get on their computers and do internet gambling, like they do in their homes right across New Zealand every day.''
