Statistics published on the Department of Internal Affairs website showed the district’s 108 pokies collected $4 million in gaming proceeds from 11 venues last year.
That was helped by a rise in losses over the final quarter of the year when gamblers lost $1.03m in three months, a rise of 6.6% compared with the same period the previous year.
Last year’s losses, up from the previous year’s losses of $3.97m, are the highest recorded in Waitaki.
The council is required to conduct a three-yearly review of its TAB Venues Policy and Class 4 Gambling Venues Policy. However, a staff report presented to the council yesterday recommended a pause due to staff workloads.
"A council resolution to postpone the formal review process is required to address workload and time constraints on officers and elected members for the remainder of 2025," the report said.
"Officers consider that the current policies are fit for purpose in the interim and therefore postponing the review carries minimal risk."
A gambling harm reduction advocate pushed back on that assessment.
"If this is based on the numbers of people who have presented for help at a gambling harm support service such as ours, that data is not a good indicator of the level of harm, as so many people do not present for help," Problem Gambling Foundation Services advocacy and public health director Andree Froude told the Oamaru Mail.
"The amount lost on pokies in Waitaki District is certainly significant [$4 million in 2024]. That is a lot of money coming out of the community that could have been spent in other areas. It is concerning that it has continued to trend upward since 2015."
DIA statistics show gaming machine proceeds (the amount collected by venue operators, not the total amount gambled) have been trending upwards every year since 2015.
The only annual drop since then was during the height of the Covid lockdowns in 2021, when losses dropped to $3m before rising again the following year.
The report considered by councillors yesterday said for the remainder of the 2025 year elected members and officers "have a significant workload and time constraints" including the district plan review, long-term plan and local government elections.
Approving the review will be conducted in 2026. The special consultative procedure satisfies the legislative requirements for the review to be commenced within the three-year period."
Staff told councillors at the meeting the review had technically started by putting the motion to postpone on the table, representing no legal risk to the council.
By Andrew Ashton
