Green light for convention centre reignites problem gambling concerns

Up to 8000 more people may be negatively impacted by gambling with the introduction of further gaming machines in SkyCity’s International Convention Centre.

The $440 million convention centre project received resource consent last month, which means it is another step closer towards starting construction.

With the government giving SkyCity the right to operate 230 new pokie machines and 40 new gambling tables as part of the new centre, critics are warning that problem gambling is likely to increase.

Gambling spokesperson for the Green Party, Denise Roche, said the new machines will cause further harm.

“Every machine equates to 0.8 … problem gambler[s],” said Ms Roche. “And for every problem gambler, there are between 6-12 people impacted, so we are looking at a further 8000 people impacted by gambling.”

Graeme Ramsey, CEO of the Problem Gambling Foundation, also said the new pokie machines will have a negative impact.

“The machines are the highest risk form of gambling,” said Mr Ramsey. “The need for services such as ours is only going to increase, and the importance of host responsibility is going to be even more important.”

Dr Maria Bellringer, associate director of the Gambling and Addictions Research Centre at AUT, said “undoubtedly” more people will be at risk of developing problems.

“We know that these electronic casino table games and pokie machines are the more harmful forms of gambling,” said Dr Bellringer.

However, she could not say how many people will be impacted.

“It depends on the type of machine that it will be, if it will be a high denomination or whether jackpots will be linked to those machines, and how popular they are going to be,” she explained.

According to Colin Espiner, general manager of communications at SkyCity, the new machines represent a 10 per cent increase on SkyCity’s existing gaming machines.

He pointed out the total amount of gaming machines in Auckland had decreased in recent years from 25,000 machines in 2003, to 17,000 last year.

“SkyCity is confident that the modest increase in the number of gaming machine licences granted by the Crown ... will not lead to any increase in gaming-related harm,” said Mr Espiner.

He added that SkyCity has a world-class host responsibility programme. “We take the utmost care to ensure that those who choose to enjoy our gaming facilities do so in the safest possible environment.”

According to the Health Promotion Agency’s Choice Not Chance statistics, each gaming machine will take $125 out of each of its players’ pockets every day of the year.

With the introduction of 230 new poker machines, this equates to a further $10 million a year.