One venue owner admitted he was ashamed of having the machines, while all of them said gamblers could be active at any time and the noon hour was no busier than others.
The one-hour shutdown is pretty much a token effort, according to Midtown Motor Inn manager Kimball Herbert, who has 18 machines that can usually be used from noon until 10pm.
"It's a token gesture. I feel if one's doing it, all of them should do it."
Otherwise, he said, people who want to gamble would go to the next venue down the street and spend the day there.
Wanganui Hospitality Association president Caroline Norton said while it would be great for all venues to turn off together, the decision was up to individuals.
"Every business should be able to make a decision on what's good for their business and their patrons."
She will put her 12 pokie machines off limits for an hour on Tuesday.
"We do want to do the best for the community, so we would be following that as well."
Token or not, venues closing their machines needed to be commended, said Tiriana Smith, manager at Maori development organisation Nga Tai o Te Awa.
"You're never going to get 24 hours of closure - pokies are too big a money-spinner," she said.
Problem Gambling Foundation communications director Andree Froude agreed. She had not heard of any other New Zealand centre were machines were off limits on Gamblefree Day.
"It's really nice that they're doing it," she said.
A Nga Tai o Te Awa survey of 500 Wanganui people earlier this year found 164 were concerned about their gambling habits. Ms Froude said pokies were the most harmful and addictive form of gambling. "Two out of every five regular pokie users either have a gambling problem or are at risk of developing one."
Forty per cent of the money they put into machines is distributed to community groups in a "complicated money-go-round".
"Community groups do great things but we always question the ethical side of this, because that money is often coming from people who can't afford it," she said.
One Wanganui person surveyed said they spent more than $100 on pokies when they had very little in the cupboards. Another admitted "spending the bread and milk money".
Nga Tai o Te Awa has a service for anyone concerned about their gambling. They can ask to be excluded from venues for a period of time. If they refuse to leave, police can be called, and they can be arrested and fined.
For help contact Hine Potaka on 348 9902, ring 0800 654 655 or go to www.choicenotchance.org.nz.