Department to advertise for "EMS" tenders in 2004

This article first appeared in Dominion Post, Infotech on 11 December 2003:

The Department of Internal Affairs will advertise next year for tenders for an Electronic Monitoring System (EMS) to monitor all gaming machines in pubs and clubs.

The General Manager of the Department’s Gaming and Censorship Regulation Group, Keith Manch, said that there is already considerable interest in the project.

"We are now planning the tendering and evaluation process, which will be thorough and robust, and also transparent and fair to all," Mr Manch said. "We are not yet accepting tenders or ‘pitches’, and will not do so until after the process is announced publicly next year."

The recently passed Gambling Act requires that all non-casino gaming machines in New Zealand be connected to an EMS by a date to be determined, which will be no later than March 2007. Connection of some or all gaming machines may be required by a much earlier date.

EMS would, amongst other things, monitor the funds used to gamble on gaming machines, the winnings paid out and the destination of the net profit.

Media contact:

Keith Manch
General Manager Phone 04 495 9449, Cellular 027 445 6420

Vincent Cholewa
Communications Advisor Phone 04 495 9350, Cellular 025 272 4270