Most recently, the New Zealand gambling operator SkyCity has described its plan to boost the number of pokie machines in its Hamilton casino as modest. Previously, the company has revealed that it is willing to increase the number of electronic gaming terminals to 400 and says that this is what customers want.
The hearing of the Gambling Commission into SkyCity’s offer to increase the number of pokies available at its casino in Hamilton has already started. Graeme Reeves, the Chief Gambling Commissioner, has explained that the hearing is aimed at the gambling regulator making a decision whether or not to make certain amendments to the existing casino license conditions of the company.
If that happens, SkyCity would be allowed to boost the number of electronic gaming machines hosted at the Hamilton casino by 60 to 399 in exchange for reducing the available blackjack tables by 3 to 20. According to the casino operator, the addition of more pokies would allow it to provide better service to its customers around the Hamilton casino’s peak hours of operation – especially on Friday nights, weekends, public holidays or special events.
A total of 250 written submissions were filed in response to the application. The hearing, which is scheduled to take place at the Distinction Hotel in Hamilton, will be running for six days in total, with a number of groups, including SkyCity, set to give presentations.
Gambling Operator’s Advocates Describe the 60 Machines’ Increase as Modest
The major part of the hearing’s opening day was dedicated to the casino operator’s submission. There were also several witnesses called back by the company to support its application.
According to one of the witnesses, Queen’s Counsel Gillian Coumbe, a large number of adults preferred spending their time and money gambling at a casino and in their minds, there was nothing wrong with that because they consider it a social activity.
As reported by SkyCity, its Hamilton casino’s gambling floor had almost 1.2 million visits over the last fiscal year. However, it says that the customer demand for table games was insufficient because more customers prefer gambling at electronic gaming terminals at peak times. The gambling company’s advocates have described the desired increase of 60 machines as “modest” and highlighted the fact that such an expansion was perfectly legal.
Now, the gambling business insists that is not a matter of legality. It also added that the hearing is not aimed at offering any element of moral judgement, but to see the local Gambling Commission determine what number of poker machines could be added to the gambling floor of SkyCity’s Hamilton casino in case three blackjack tables are removed.
However, the outcome of the hearing still remains to be seen, considering the fact that electronic gaming machines have faced a massive wave of criticism over the past few years. Pokies have been blamed for their addictive character, with anti-gambling campaigners pointing at them as one of the most dangerous forms of gambling on the territory of New Zealand.
- Author
Olivia Cole
