Evaluate current policy
Guidance to help you gather evidence to support your decision-making on whether changes are required to your policy.
On this page
Useful sources of information
Local community profile
To evaluate the impacts of gambling on your community, there are three main groups or areas to consider:
- the groups and organisations that benefit from class 4 gambling by way of grants from gaming societies
- the populations that are disproportionately harmed by gambling, and
- the economic and entertainment benefits for your community.
You will already have considerable community profile data from your long-term plan and other policy processes. In addition, you may find it useful to seek further data on your vulnerable communities and the impacts of gambling.
Consultation requirements
This page outlines the groups you need to engage with to meet mandatory consultation requirements under the Gambling Act.
Gambling in your community
Understanding gambling in your community
This page includes links and information about:
- gambling data and gaming machine proceeds – how to access this information.
- a summary of Ministry of Health research into gambling harm
Assessing the social impacts of gambling
Your policy evaluation must be informed by your assessment of the social impacts of gambling within your community.
Involving the community in the development of your class 4 venue policy meets one of the purposes of the Gambling Act – to ensure community input into decisions about the provision of gambling in local communities.
The Gambling Act does not specify how you should go about the task of assessing the social impact of gambling in your area.
Some councils choose to commission a social impact assessment of gambling in their communities, but this is not a statutory requirement.
Key questions to consider:
- How much money is spent on class 4 gambling in your community?
- How much harm is being experienced in different areas of your community from gambling, especially high deprivation communities?
- How much money is returned to your community in the form of grants, and which groups are receiving these grants?
- What are the economic benefits of having class 4 venues in your community, eg employment opportunities?
- What are the entertainment benefits of class 4 venues?
Other tools and resources
- Community profile information produced for your long-term plan
- Community profiles SOLGM’s Community Well-being Data Service
- Your internal experts such as your alcohol licensing, community development, and engagement teams
- DIA's gaming machine proceeds dashboard
Legislative requirements
Section 101 of the Gambling Act states that a territorial authority must adopt a class 4 venue policy, and this policy must have regard to the social impact of gambling within the district.
Section 101: Territorial authority must adopt class 4 venue policy
(1) A territorial authority must, within 6 months after the commencement of this section, adopt a policy on class 4 venues.(2) In adopting a policy, the territorial authority must have regard to the social impact of gambling within the territorial authority district.
