And they were off-putting for occasional bettors, particularly on major sports events or Melbourne Cup day, who rarely visited retail venues at other times.
Crucially the new terminals will mirror the TAB website and app, giving a seamless transition between betting on those platforms and betting in an agency.
The new terminals will be also be rolled out at racetracks, where plenty of punters still prefer the cash-betting experience as part of the thrill of a day at the races.
The managing director of Entain New Zealand, Sam Moncur, was at the launch to see the first bets on the new terminals placed, one of his first official duties since taking on his role.
“We want to meet our customers where they are and provide them with a seamless experience if they’re placing a bet through our new terminals or on the TAB app,” said Moncur.
As part of the development of the terminals, customer feedback has led to many customer-focused solutions in the new terminals.
“Customers can enjoy more bet types, easy multis with a buildable betslip and more funding options. Plus, the new touch-screen experience is faster than ever.
“Everything a TAB customer could do through the app or tab.co.nz is now possible in retail.”
The upgrade of the retail terminals will comfort traditionalist punters who may have feared all betting would eventually end up being online only and the possibility of TAB agencies or pubs and clubs being allowed to die off.
“We will be supporting our venues and customers through this change with both physical and digital resources on hand to help them,” said Moncur.
“We’re committed to delivering a world-class wagering experience and this is a big step toward ensuring our venues are well-positioned to serve the needs of our customers.
“There is a lot more to come in 2025 including exclusive promotions and offers for our customers that can only be redeemed through our TAB venues.”