The counter argument for community-based gambling
$6,000 Welcome Bonus
Pub Charity has operated gaming machines in Hawke's Bay since 1987. Pub Charity is likely to be one of the largest funders of charity and not for profit organisations in Napier city. Kushlan Sugathapala wrote an opinion piece in the Hawkes Bay Today.
There is a lot of misinformation about the state of community gaming machines in New Zealand. The number of machines has halved since the peak of 2004. New Zealander has one of the lowest rates of problem gambling in the world. Less than 1,200 people have sought to be formally excluded from one or more community games. 85% of gaming grants are returned to the region they were raised in. The Ministry of Health has refused to assist with funding. Problem gambling providers opposed the gaming industry implementing facial recognition systems. Over 60% of reported problem gamblers are relapsed.
Martin Cheer is the CEO of Pub Charity Limited.
