North's problem gamblers impose self ban

Problem gamblers in Northland have been voluntarily asking gaming venues to bar them for two years, a hospitality spokesman says.

Northland has also lost 17 machines since last year, resulting in Northland gaming machine expenditure dropping 3 per cent. Local punters were spending $1 million less on pokies in the 12 months to March. Department of Internal Affairs figures show nearly $31 million was dropped into Northland pokie machines in the year to March, down from about $32 million during the previous year.

Whangarei bar owner and Hospitality New Zealand local branch president Phil Sentch said gaming venues instigated their own "harm-minimisation policies" to combat problem gambling.

"In the last 12 months, there's been a lot of self-banning [by problem gamblers]", which lasted for two years, he said.

At Mr Sentch's bar - Rynoz Bar and Grill - patrons who exhibited risky gambling behaviour were approached by staff and run through different ways of getting help.

"We sit and have a chat with them ... and, a lot of the time by the time you finish talking with them, they ask to voluntary ban themselves."