Five submitters spoke via Zoom both for and against aspects of the council’s proposed new policy on gambling venues, at a meeting held at the town’s Cross Recreation Centre last Thursday.
Representatives of the gaming and betting industry spoke in favour of less stringent policy measures than those proposed by the council, while submitters from health, gambling harm and social services spoke against any loosening of the policy.
The council proposals put forward a more stringent "sinking lid" policy for the district’s 11 venues and their 71 "pokies".
"Sinking lid" entails enshrining the present total as a cap, which would then decrease whenever machines are removed due to a venue closure, or a change in use.
Gaming Association of New Zealand counsel Jarrod True said the association discouraged the council from adopting sinking lid, as there was no evidence a reduction in machine numbers led to a reduction in gambling.
He said reducing machines at venues in the community led to an increase in gambling online — where it was unregulated, revenues moved offshore, and harm reduction measures could not be applied.
Instead, a sinking lid policy would only reduce the amount of money available to return to the community in grants — which had amounted to more than $2million between January 2018 and March 2020.
Problem Gambling Foundation Group spokeswoman Tina McIvor said the harm from problem gambling on community-based gaming machines far outweighed any benefits accruing from grant funding, however.
She said although only three Clutha residents were identified with problem gambling issues last year, research suggested those stepping forward "at rock bottom" were only a fraction of the underlying problem.
"Only about 15% of problem gamblers actually present to service providers with an issue, and for every problem gambler, five to 10 other relatives, friends and community members are also impacted, so the scale of the issue is much bigger."
Access to gaming machines was damaging to whole communities, she said.
She endorsed the council’s sinking lid policy.
Submissions were also heard from TAB New Zealand, the Southern DHB, and the Salvation Army Oasis, Dunedin.
The full council will meet on March 31 to consider the verbal submissions and adopt a final policy.
