KEY POINTS:
Internal Affairs Minister Rick Barker has warned Auckland's SkyCity casino that action will be taken if it does not stick to its operating requirements and keep loan sharks off the gaming floor.
Mr Barker was speaking in Parliament yesterday after television cameras caught a loan shark working out of the VIP member's carpark.
The casino and the Department of Internal Affairs have been under pressure over loan sharks in the past two months after it was revealed they have been operating openly inside the casino, including the VIP room.
Mr Barker said an inquiry was under way into the latest loan shark - who SkyCity banned yesterday - and officials were looking at whether SkyCity met its operating requirements.
"If it is found that it has not, swift action will be taken," he told Parliament.
Green MP Sue Bradford challenged Mr Barker, saying loan sharks were operating with impunity inside casinos; "flagrantly breaking the law, seizing passports and causing immeasurable pain to New Zealand individuals and families".
Ms Bradford renewed her calls for a public inquiry into crime in New Zealand's casino industry.
Mr Barker told Parliament he had confidence in Internal Affairs.
"The department has genuine good people to ensure that the law is enforced. If people have evidence ... they should report that, and the department will take swift and effective action against that."
He said more could be done and pointed to recommendations the department had made to the Gambling Commission to ensure all casinos have policies on host responsibility, training for staff to detect loan sharks, a requirement to specifically exclude anybody they believe to be a loan shark, and to have in place programmes to assist people who are affected by loan sharks.
He was looking forward to the commission making those requirements on casinos in New Zealand.
Ms Bradford said the proposed Gambling Amendment Bill only contained minor changes and she could not see how it would target illegal behaviour in casinos and pokie machine parlours.
Mr Barker said the bill would be used as a vehicle to amend the current legislation if needed.
The Problem Gambling Foundation slammed the casino for not acting sooner and the Salvation Army has called for tougher measures saying it knows of other cases.
A Weekend Herald investigation found loan sharks operating in SkyCity, including the VIP room, as well as other allegations of money laundering and drug dealing.
