Have your say on gambling regulations

24/03/2004
The Department of Internal Affairs is seeking comment from community organisations and the gambling sector on the content of the rules, regulations and other requirements that will apply to almost all forms of gambling, from school raffles to the largest casino.

The Director of the Department’s Gaming and Censorship Regulation Group, Keith Manch, said that the Gambling Act sets the legal framework and requires the Department to consult on the details of regulations, rules, minimum operating standards etc.

Consultation documents issued on Monday cover:

• rules for operating, raffles, large scale lotteries, prize competitions and other gambling run by community groups and licensed promoters (class 1, 2 and 3 gambling)
• rules for operating gaming machines (class 4 gambling)
• limits on venue expenses (i.e. how much should pubs be paid to have gaming machines?)
• minimum technical standards for gaming machines in pubs and clubs
• infringement offences for breaches of casino game rules
• Minimum Operating Standards (MOS) for casinos.

A document seeking comments on rules for housie has been sent out last week, and a document seeking preliminary comments on implementation of the Electronic Monitoring System (EMS) for gaming machines is also being distributed.

The Department has sent relevant documents to 4,200 organisations. Copies are also available on this website at: Gambling Act Consultation (22/03/04). Hard copies are available by contacting Executive Officer Cristin Smith at the address below or on telephone 0800 257 887.

The Department is seeking comment from:

• community organisations that use gambling for fund raising
• community organisations that receive, or would consider applying for, grants from gaming machine societies
• other community organisations that might wish to comment
• territorial authorities
• licensed promoters of large scale lotteries and other gambling
• gaming machine societies
• pubs and clubs that have gaming machines
• manufacturers, and their agents, of gaming machines and other gambling equipment
• casino operators.

It does not expect each organisation to comment on all the consultation documents. Instead, organisations should make submissions on those documents that they believe are relevant to them.

Organisations have a month to make submissions; they should be with the Department by April 22. Submissions on all documents except the EMS and housie consultation should be addressed to the “Link Project Communications Coordinator”. Submissions on the EMS consultation should be addressed to the “EMS Project Coordinator” and on housie to Jim Kimber.

The Department’s address is: Department of Internal Affairs, PO Box 805, Wellington.

Media contact:

Keith Manch Phone 04 495 9449
Director Cellular 027 445 6420

Vincent Cholewa Phone 04 495 9350
Communications Advisor Cellular 027 272 4270