Class 4 Gambling and TAB Venue Policy

Consultation has concluded.


Under the Gambling Act 2003 and the Racing Act 2003, the Buller District Council must have a Class 4 Venue and Board (TAB) Venue Policy that is reviewed every three years. 

Background

How should gambling venues be managed in Buller in the future? The community could provide feedback on this question as part of the proposed new Class 4 Gambling and Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) Venue Policy review. 

Council identified five key issues that the policy needs to address to manage gambling in the district.

  • The number of Gaming Machines allowed in the district
  • Number of venues in the district  
  • Venue location for both Gambling Venues and Board (TAB) venues
  • Number of gambling machines per venue
  • Relocation of licenses to other venues either permitted or not.  

Each of these can be managed through one of three options: keeping the status quo, applying certain limits, or implementing a sinking lid approach. 

  • Status Quo - Keeping the same policy we have now which has some restrictions on the location of venues but no limits on the number of machines or venues;
  • Set a cap/limit - Put a limit to the total number of gaming machines, the total number of venues, the number of gaming machines per venue, and/or limit gaming venues to certain areas across the district
  • Sinking Lid - No new gaming machines or venues permitted. When one gambling venue closes or a gambling machine is no longer used it cannot be replaced. Overtime this will likely result in a decrease of gambling machines and venues in the district.

The Statement of Proposal provides details on the options and issues. It includes an analysis of each option and background information.

What was the outcome of the consultation?

The 18 submissions from community members indicated a preference for a sinking lid for three of the issues, being the number of gaming machines and venues in Buller, as well as the number of machines per venue.  

Concerning venue location, setting location requirements such as distance from sensitive sites, and implementing a sinking lid were evenly preferred, with 41.1% and 41.2% respectively.  

All three options that could determine if and how relocating existing venues are managed received between 29% and 35% support, indicating quite an even distribution of preference.

Eleven organisations submitted detailed feedback on the options. Keeping the status quo emerged as the preferred option for the first four key issues. Regarding the relocation of existing venues, allowing the relocation of venues only in certain circumstances was the most popular option. 

What was Council's decision?

Councillors decided that they would prefer to manage the various aspects of gambling venues in Buller by setting a cap as the guiding principle for the new policy. This means that council will set a limit on how many gaming machines and venues there can be in the district and how many gaming machines are permitted per venue. Parameters would limit where venues can be located, or where venues could be relocated to in certain circumstances. 

The actual limit or cap will be determined by council before the draft policy is adopted.


Under the Gambling Act 2003 and the Racing Act 2003, the Buller District Council must have a Class 4 Venue and Board (TAB) Venue Policy that is reviewed every three years. 

Background

How should gambling venues be managed in Buller in the future? The community could provide feedback on this question as part of the proposed new Class 4 Gambling and Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) Venue Policy review. 

Council identified five key issues that the policy needs to address to manage gambling in the district.

  • The number of Gaming Machines allowed in the district
  • Number of venues in the district  
  • Venue location for both Gambling Venues and Board (TAB) venues
  • Number of gambling machines per venue
  • Relocation of licenses to other venues either permitted or not.  

Each of these can be managed through one of three options: keeping the status quo, applying certain limits, or implementing a sinking lid approach. 

  • Status Quo - Keeping the same policy we have now which has some restrictions on the location of venues but no limits on the number of machines or venues;
  • Set a cap/limit - Put a limit to the total number of gaming machines, the total number of venues, the number of gaming machines per venue, and/or limit gaming venues to certain areas across the district
  • Sinking Lid - No new gaming machines or venues permitted. When one gambling venue closes or a gambling machine is no longer used it cannot be replaced. Overtime this will likely result in a decrease of gambling machines and venues in the district.

The Statement of Proposal provides details on the options and issues. It includes an analysis of each option and background information.

What was the outcome of the consultation?

The 18 submissions from community members indicated a preference for a sinking lid for three of the issues, being the number of gaming machines and venues in Buller, as well as the number of machines per venue.  

Concerning venue location, setting location requirements such as distance from sensitive sites, and implementing a sinking lid were evenly preferred, with 41.1% and 41.2% respectively.  

All three options that could determine if and how relocating existing venues are managed received between 29% and 35% support, indicating quite an even distribution of preference.

Eleven organisations submitted detailed feedback on the options. Keeping the status quo emerged as the preferred option for the first four key issues. Regarding the relocation of existing venues, allowing the relocation of venues only in certain circumstances was the most popular option. 

What was Council's decision?

Councillors decided that they would prefer to manage the various aspects of gambling venues in Buller by setting a cap as the guiding principle for the new policy. This means that council will set a limit on how many gaming machines and venues there can be in the district and how many gaming machines are permitted per venue. Parameters would limit where venues can be located, or where venues could be relocated to in certain circumstances. 

The actual limit or cap will be determined by council before the draft policy is adopted.

Consultation has concluded.