pokie funding

The Government is being urged to shut down New Zealand’s pokie machines and itself replace the grant money they generate for Kiwi community organisations and sports codes.

A coalition of The Salvation Army, Problem Gambling Foundation and Māori health agency Hapai te Hauora have written a ‘white paper’ for Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin arguing that the Government could easily replace the annual $242m of pokie grants from its own coffers.

In a White Paper released today, the Salvation Army Oasis, Hāpai Te Hauora Tapui and the Problem Gambling Foundation, provide a solution to end the community sector’s dependence on funding from pokie machines.

With pokie grants all but dried up due to the COVID-19 lockdown and consequent closure of pokie venues, the authors are calling on the government to initially roll over existing funding directly to community groups for six months with a view to long-term reform of the system.

A $25 million relief package has been created by Sport NZ to provide much needed relief for sports and recreation. The package is targeted primarily towards community and regional recreation and sporting bodies who are struggling to stay afloat in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.