The New Zealand Gambling Machine Association (GMANZ) has voiced apprehension regarding proposed adjustments to the nation’s gambling legislation, labeling certain proposed sections as “unreasonable, illogical, and impractical.”
GMANZ is apprehensive that some of the provisions in the new rules crafted by the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) do not address the larger concerns in the regulation of Class 4 gambling. The organization has also stated that these provisions do not address the larger issues in the regulation of Class 4 gambling.
The organization will be attending a High Court hearing this week on portions of the new rules developed by the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). Three GMANZ members will also be attending the hearing.
The concluding portion of the rules, intended to diminish potential gambling harm, will come into effect in less than two weeks on December 1st.
GMANZ has stated that it supports effective regulation to reduce potential harm. However, it has also expressed concerns about many of the provisions in the new rules.
GMANZ’s independent chair, Peter Dengate Thrush, has specifically criticized the development of the new rules without “proper” consultation.
“Who is better positioned to identify potential harm than those who work in the venues?” Dengate Thrush inquired.
Numerous proposed rules are merely superficial, claiming to lessen harm or potentially causing more harm, and these choices are made by technical administrators with no experience in Class 4 locations.
“These new rules have severe operational issues, such as cash withdrawal responsibilities and related gaming area sweeping responsibilities.”
GMANZ: DIA Unwilling to Talk About Concerns
Dengate Thrush highlighted several proposals in his critique. One included a measure that a gambler making more than two cash withdrawals in a Class 4 location in a day could be a sign of problematic gambling. However, since Class 4 locations can also be pubs and taverns, there is no way to prove what they spent the money on.
He also criticized a proposal that would require staff to record everyone in the gaming room every 20 minutes, including their description for future reference. Dengate Thrush said this could be 20 people per hour, 12 or 14 hours of operation a day, three times an hour. He added that this would result in 720 records a day, or about 250,000 a year.
“Staff have to do this while serving drinks, cleaning, monitoring intoxication and everything else required of responsible venue hosts,” he said. “Our venue operators believe this is not practical. We have raised these concerns with the DIA on numerous occasions, through workshops and webinars, and they have been completely unwilling to listen.”
New Zealand regulatory body criticized
David Trask, the head of the Gambling Machine Association of New Zealand (GMANZ), condemned the nation’s industry watchdog. He stated the shortcomings in the rules reflect a wider, more systemic issue, with regulators “not fulfilling their duties.”
He mentioned, “The new rules don’t consider the realities of Class 4 locations or their staff, who do the most work in minimizing problem gambling on the front lines.” “The regulator appears to have not heard the industry and instead created rules that are impractical to justify their existence.
“We desire to see offenders in the industry brought to justice, like anyone else. But this industry regulation isn’t sufficient – our frontline personnel deserve better.”
Trask continued by saying that GMANZ is eager to receive problem gambling tax revenue to fund training and invest in technology to reduce gambling harm. This includes facial recognition to provide extra protection and support.
Trask stated, “The shared goal across the industry is to reduce known harms and provide support for those who need it.”
“None of our members want anyone to be harmed at any location. We want any entities that aren’t taking their responsibilities seriously to be targeted, and those who don’t follow the procedures to be prosecuted. These rules could make things worse.
“We need the Ministry of Internal Affairs to truly listen to us, because we are a vital part of the system.”
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