Rotorua pumps $24m a year into poker machines

By the end of the day, about $65,900 will have been shovelled into Rotorua poker machines.

A new electronic monitoring system has revealed an incredible $24 million is being spent on poker machines a year in Rotorua. That's $461,500 a week, or $65,900 a day.

The figure is higher than previous estimates of about $19 million.

Per head of population, it places Rotorua third on the country's "worst gamblers" list.



The high figures were not a surprise, Chrissi Clement, counsellor for the Rotorua branch of the Problem Gambling Foundation, said.

"We know the problem is bigger than people realise."

Ms Clement said the length of time and frequency people played indicated whether an addiction would develop.

"If people play regularly, once a week for a few hours, then every one in four will develop a problem."

The latest figures have been released after the introduction of electronic monitoring system.

Anti gambling campaigner and Rotorua district councillor Maureen Waaka was also not surprised at Rotorua's $24 million figure.

"We have got a number of machines but we can't do much by way of protection."

Policy analyst and adviser at the Problem Gambling Foundation, Max Llewelyn, said there was "serious concern" at Rotorua's level of spending.

"It is out of proportion with other local authorities in New Zealand."

Mr Llewelyn said the poker machine was known as the "crack cocaine of the gambling industry".

"The Problem Gambling Foundation averages 25 clients a month in Rotorua on purely gambling related issues but there are other agencies in Rotorua who also handle clients with gambling issues. It is a proven fact that only 10 per cent of problem gamblers present themselves for counselling and other assistance. The numbers of problem gamblers in Rotorua must be enormous."

Mr Llewelyn said one way to improve the amount of money spent in poker machines was to reduce the number of machines in Rotorua. That is already happening via a "cap" on the number of machines in the city. The Rotorua District Council is working toward having 380 machines in Rotorua. There are 427 machines in Rotorua, down from 518 in 2004. The cap is part of the council's Gaming Venue Policy put in place in 2004.

To achieve the cap, the council is not allowing new poker machine outlets to open.

Last year Francis Wevers, of the Charity Gaming Association, said that out of an estimated $19 million that went into Rotorua poker machines, $10 million came back to the community through grants.

The Rotorua Hospice is one of several commnity groups that receives such grants.

Chief Executive Tracey Watters said she was aware of addictions associated with poker machines but said there was help available for those people. The hospice received 75 per cent of its funding from the government, and had to source the rest.

"I think that the money raised from poker machines is a perfectly acceptable way to achieve our funding and we are very grateful for the money we receive."