Title: The gambling industry is only there to help the community.
1The gambling industry is only there to help the
community.
Profitable Pokie Promotions
2Examples of gambling industrys community spirit
3and the gambling industry never targets
particular groups or areas
4The pokie industry, in particular, is very
generous
Pokie Trusts how their profits are split
18.1
Distributed Funds
40.8
5Sshhh dont mention how they use their admin
expenses!
6An informed community is an empowered community
- Figures for most recent year supplied to DIA
(some to Sept 03, some to Sept 02). Research by
Sue Torkington for GamblingWatch. - A handful of trusts clubs missing
- Full spreadsheet available from GamblingWatch on
CD or by email covers almost every club and
trust operating pokies in NZ - GamblingWatch working to provide info. by TLA area
7(No Transcript)
8Pokie Industry heavily lobbied local Govt for
staus quo
- Reps from HANZ Clubs NZ submitted to most TLAs
that policies should be minimalist (laissez
faire) - They organised large groups of pub owners to
attend meetings in the main centres lobby
Councillors - Some organised spurious mass submissions from
grant recipients (e.g.Scottwood Trust) - Articles appeared in newspapers claiming grants
to community groups kids sports clubs would dry
up and groups clubs fold - Claims were made of job losses business
closures
9What gambling industry thinks about us, local
govt problem gambling
- The chairperson of the Council Cttee is
usually up with the play and has a deeper
understanding of whats important. Then there
follows a disparate group, made up of
malcontents, wannabe politicians, single agenda
enthusiasts, and misfits, all trying to do their
best and enjoy their 15 minutes of fame. - GARY WARD, Chair of the Gaming Machine Assn of
NZ, in NZ Gaming, Feb. 2004 - Mr Ward, in his typical style, goes on to say
that problem gambling already receives enough
money and as far as hes concerned the issue is
having astonishingly more than enough done for
it. - They can dress it up all they want, but nobody
running a commercial operation is going to run a
business for the communitys benefit. - IAN BRAY, Pub Charity Chief Executive, in NZ
Gaming, Feb 2004
10and just to tempt you away from the pokies.
11Casinos rip the community off even more than
pokie bars
- 2003 (national figures)
- Avge community grant per non-casino pokie
- 12,438
- Avge community grant per casino pokie
- 1,392
- Sky City (Akl) 1,990 (2.6 of profits)
- Sky Riverside (Ham) 923
- Christchurch Casino 450
- Dunedin Casino 875
- Sky Alpine Wharf (Qtwn) 678
12The gambling industry is only there to help the
community.
Just remember
Even more Profitable Pokie Promotions
13NZs biggest problem gambler
About 600 million annually in gambling tax
revenue the Govt couldnt do without it
14Bring back Al Capone
At least he was up front about being in the game
for himself!
15However, its not as bad as it seems
- NZ communities have been fighting back
- Hundreds of messages to Christchurch City
Councillors supporting a cap on pokie numbers
gave the Council the strength to resist industry
attacks on their draft policy - Waikato District reversed an initial pro-pokie
position after strong submissions from the local
community they redrafted their policy even
before hearings took place! - Napier City Opotiki District capped pokie
numbers at October 2001 levels after local
community input raised high degree of concern at
harm locally from gambling - Waitakere residents surveyed views of community
themselves to underpin their Council submissions - Hamilton Citys ongoing campaign on gambling led
to record numbers of community industry
submissions, with a ban on external gambling
signage being enacted, along with requirement for
Trusts and Clubs to publicise all successful
unsuccessful grants - Papakura resisted efforts of local sports clubs
( Deputy Mayor) to allow an extra 10 of pokies
into their area the local community held a
march to demand a restrictive policy - Waitomo District scrapped initial pro-pokie
policy after community public health
submissions theyre now holding a special
workshop to inform themselves of the issues
16Case study Whangarei
Diane Matthews PGF local Counsellor
- Whangarei District population 68,000 (city
47,000) - 1 pokie for every 130 adults
- TLAs required to consider social impacts of
gambling, but Council decides 20,000 cost too
much
17Case study Whangarei
- Council looked at 3 options
- 1. No control over pokies, which would
ultimately see pokie numbers rise to about 526 - 2. Partial controls pokie numbers could rise to
about 439 - 3. Total control pokie numbers to stay the same
18 Case study Whangarei
- Submissions for total control 69
- Submissions for partial control 14
- Submissions for no control 8
- Council surprised at 97 submissions
- - Auckland City had only 123
- - Whangarei brothel law 26
- - WDC Liquor ban 31
- - WDC Dog Control bylaws 56
-
19Case study Whangarei
- Total control submitters heard before lunch
gambling industry heard after lunch - Morning submitters
- - human cost of gambling
- - problem gamblers tales sad harrowing
- - but made major impact on councillors
- - Council commended courage of speakers
- Industry submitters
- - freedom of choice, free market
- - lack of self-discipline from problem gamblers
- - depersonalised issue, sounded patronising
20Case study Whangarei
- Submitters against gambling expansion were
well-organised - Regular meetings of GAG
- Presentations to community groups
- Draft submission for widespread use
- Campaigned around District each member with
different responsibilities - Used up-to-date stats, combined with health
workers educators - PGF client involvement made difference
21Our aim a Whangarei policy in every city
district
- Opportunities
- Some Councils are reviewing their gambling venue
policies after a year (or following the
elections) - New TLA policies DIA regulations will mean more
information about grants and expenses coming to
light in next year - Gambling addiction horror stories pokie
trust/pokie bar/club rip-off horror stories will
continue to emerge in the media - Communities individuals knowledge of gambling
issues will continue to rise, despite industry
efforts to keep a lid on
22Our aim central Govt starts paying more than
lip-service to us!
- The Gambling Commission knows little about its
new job and has so far refused to meet with
community reps - The Ministry of Health strategy does not provide
for resourcing of local community development
gambling initiatives - The DIA has advised TLAs not to include harm
minimisation grant scrutiny clauses in their
venue policies
23The gambling industry is only there to help the
community.
Never forget that
Excessively Profitable Pokie Promotions
24GamblingWatch meetingThursday 13th
May5.30pmCarlton Hotel BoardroomALL WELCOME