The number of gambling machines in Marlborough, New Zealand, is set to decrease. The Marlborough District Council has adopted a “sinking lid” policy, which means no new gambling venues or machines can open if one closes. However, two venues at the same level can merge into the total number of machines previously operated by each club, or 18 machines, whichever is fewer.
The council decided to review its Gambling Venue Policy earlier this year. Georgia Murrin, the council’s licensing inspector, recommended the sinking lid policy. The policy aims to reduce the harm caused by gambling in the community.
As of May this year, Marlborough had 12 venues and 165 gaming machines. Since March 2015, there has been a 40% reduction in the number of venues and a 33.7% reduction in the number of machines.
The council received an anonymous email from a woman who enjoys gambling. She was concerned about the reduction in machines and suggested that pub owners should limit the time people can spend on a machine. She also suggested that pubs should provide change for gambling, rather than patrons having to go to an ATM.
However, organizations like the Gaming Machine Association, the Lion Foundation, and Pub Charity Limited did not support the sinking lid policy. These groups, known as “pokie trusts,” operate gambling machines in clubs or commercial venues and receive a commission based on weekly turnover. A portion of the money is then distributed to community groups through grants.
The Lion Foundation argued that the current policy, which caps gaming machines at 240, was effective and balanced the potential harm from gambling while preserving access to community funding. They supported capping the number of gaming machines to 165, but this was not the preferred option.
The council believes the sinking lid policy is the right way forward, despite the potential impact on community funding.
