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Manukau City is considering a "sinking lid" policy on pokie machines in the city.
This week community groups and representatives from The Problem Gambling organisation made oral submissions against pokie machines to the city council.
They met opposition from gaming industry representatives who want the cap on pokie venues to be kept at 90 venues.
The issue is currently with the council's policy and activities committee for consideration.
Figures from the Department of Internal Affairs show pokie machines in Manukau City sucked up nearly $20 million in the three months ended in September - the third-highest amount in the country behind Auckland City ($25.8 million) and Christchurch ($22.8 million).
While this would equate to $80 million a year lost to pokies, Otara Gambling Action Group co-ordinator Pesio Siita thought the sum was closer to $200 million a year, and venues throughout the region were collecting as much as $3 million each.
This year the council received more than 6700 written submissions advocating a moratorium or "sinking lid" policy for pokies. The number is believed to be the highest received on a single issue.
The submissions flooded in after a council draft policy proposed the cap on gaming venues be dropped to 70.
At present there are 71 venues throughout the Manukau region and 996 machines.
Ms Siita was wary many local organisations were dependent on pub charities but said the council needed to consider alternative funding streams for communities.
"It's not easy money to apply for, but there are good sources of funding available for projects - like the Tyndall Foundation and the ASB. It's just a matter of looking at these other areas."
She was critical of the huge sum of money taken from Manukau pokie machines, only a fraction of that which was returned to the various communities.
"Do people want to take money that's been taken out of a community which can't afford to lose it?"
Manukau City's manager of policy and planning, Dave Tucker, said the council received about 35 oral submissions against the thousands of written submissions, which were overwhelmingly in favour of a sinking lid policy.
The committee will make a decision on November 29 and present their findings to the full council in early December.
