An Auckland Council member, Josephine Bartley, is leading an effort to revamp slot machine rules in New Zealand. She contends that the existing Gambling Act, implemented in 2003, is obsolete and restricts local governments attempting to tackle the detrimental impacts of gambling dependency within their populations.
Bartley emphasizes the clustering of gaming establishments in lower-income districts, referencing a 2020 study that revealed over 50% of those seeking assistance for slot machine dependency in the Auckland region were from South Auckland, her childhood home. This concentration, she asserts, worsens existing disparities and ensnares susceptible individuals in a pattern of dependence.
Although Auckland Council has implemented measures to restrict the expansion of new gaming facilities, detractors like problem gambling advocate Andree Froude maintain that further action is necessary to genuinely diminish the total quantity of machines. Froude posits that numerous councils feel impotent under the current legal framework and are advocating for more robust measures to curtail the adverse consequences of gambling.
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Jan Tinetti, stated that the legislative body should possess the authority to eliminate the most detrimental gaming devices from our neighborhoods. This sentiment reflects the escalating apprehension surrounding the availability of these devices, especially within susceptible populations. Minister Tinetti recognized the necessity for a thorough overhaul of gaming regulations to lessen the detrimental consequences they produce, specifically highlighting the unequal effect of “slot machines” on underprivileged areas such as South Auckland.
This declaration follows closely behind anxieties voiced by proponents of gambling harm reduction in New Zealand concerning a Christchurch gaming establishment’s intentions to introduce a web-based casino originating from Malta.”
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