KEY POINTS:
A bar was forced to shut down its pokie machines after failing to help an identified problem gambler.
The Fever Club on Dunedin's George Street was investigated by the Department of Internal Affairs after the manager refused to help a self-identified problem gambler.
The bar operates 16 pokie machines and lost its licence for five days.
The bar also failed to provide a register of people with access to gambling keys, record player disputes and machine breakdowns, or close an external access to the gambling area.
Not issuing a self-identified problem gambler with an exclusion notice carries a maximum fine of $10,000 but Internal Affairs did not impose a fine.
Internal Affairs director of Gambling Mike Hill said some bars with pokie machines are not getting the message.
"We are investigating a number of venues for not complying with the self-exclusion regime after repeated reminders about what the Gambling Act requires," he said.
The Fever Club declined to comment. It is not known how much money the bar lost but the Department of Internal Affairs estimates the figure to be in the thousands.
