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A street-level revolt against pokies is under way in South Auckland, as thousands sign up to make sure no more of the machines are brought into their city.
More than 6700 people have sent written submissions to the Manukau City Council advocating a moratorium or "sinking lid" policy for pokies - believed to be the highest number received on a single issue.
The submissions, in response to the council's gaming policy review, come as figures today show the machines are sucking in nearly $1 billion a year. They have been largely organised by the Otara Gambling Action Group and Problem Gambling Foundation, which say opposition to pokies is as strong in affluent areas such as Howick and Pakuranga as it is in Mangere and Otara.
The Herald was yesterday told of Asian gamblers who had lost millions of dollars to gambling and had then been threatened by gangs such as Black Power and the Mongrel Mob when they struggled to pay the debts.
Community groups have been handing out postcard-size submissions, printed by the foundation, for four weeks. Under the sinking-lid policy, no machines could be put in new venues and machines could not be moved when a venue shut.
Otara Gambling Action Group co-ordinator Pesio Siita said the submissions showed a shift in thinking from pokies being a fun and occasional plaything to something that was "highly addictive and destructive".
"People are beginning to realise they're addictive and harmful and they don't want any more of them in their communities."
Ms Siita said there were 76 pokie venues in Manukau, with 1062 machines. Each venue took in more than $3 million from pokies each year. "There are so many of them that access to them is very easy - they're in our places of entertainment like bowling alleys and in places that are family oriented."
Councillor Su'a William Sio said a 2003 social impact report showed people gambled $90 million more than what came back to Manukau through trust funding and grants.
A Department of Internal Affairs report on crime in casinos released last week showed many South Auckland gaming machine venues were close to credit sources and loan sharks who charged exorbitant interest rates.
The report also found some Pacific Island families had sold cultural items such as woven mats to fund gambling addictions.
Problem Gambling Foundation Asian Services manager John Wong said the number of problem Asian gamblers, many of whom lived in Pakuranga or Howick, was increasing. Although they tended to frequent casinos, many were hitting the pokie machines closer to home.
"Some of the people I have dealt with have gambled away their entire life savings. I know people who have lost $3 million and I know of others who have lost $6 million."
The Department of Internal Affairs introduced a central electronic monitoring system for pokies in March. In the three months to June, $237,705,359 was gambled on machines. The department estimated that about $950 million was being gambled a year.
