A new report recommends not allowing gambling machine venues to open in Wairarapa’s most deprived areas outside of main town centres.
Photo: Wairarapa Times Age / Sandy Parkinson

Faced with reports of gambling harm, two Wairarapa district councils are considering tightening restrictions on gambling.

A report will be tabled on Wednesday with Carterton and Masterton district councils, recommending increasing restrictrions on any new gambling venues and machines in the region.

South Wairarapa District Council will consider the report later this month.

The report recommends not allowing gambling machine venues to open in Wairarapa’s most deprived areas outside of main town centres, no new TABs in the region, and restrictions on new pokie machines.

“Feedback from social service agencies suggests that gambling harm is becoming more of an issue in Wairarapa in the face of increasing financial pressures on households. Those in our most deprived communities are most at risk from gambling harm,” it said.

Despite a reduction in gambling venues and pokies, gambling spending had slowly increased in Wairarapa since 2015, the report said.

“While official statistics show a reduction in help-seeking regarding gambling harm, Wairarapa based social service agencies surveyed … consider that gambling harm is becoming more of an issue.”

Gambling machine venues appeared to bring limited economic benefit to the region, with minimal impact on employment, the report said.

Only about 19 percent of gaming machine profits were returned to Wairarapa through grant funding, which was low compared to other regions. Only a few services working to address gambling harm had received gaming trust grants in the past year.

If the councils accept the recommendations, the community will be consulted in October and November.

Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air