Gambling policies

We’re reviewing Council’s gambling and smokefree policies and are seeking community feedback on proposed changes. This review is triggered by a legislative requirement, ensuring that our district policies are regularly updated.

Our current policies

Our gambling policies oversee the number of Class 4 Gambling and standalone TAB venues in Kāpiti.  Class 4 gambling machines are commonly known as ‘pokie machines’. 

Our two current gambling policies are the Class 4 Gambling Policy 2019 and the TAB Venue Gambling Policy 2019.  These policies aim to:

• reduce gambling harm
• control the growth of gambling
• ensure gambling venues are appropriately located
• ensure gambling venue consents are considered and issued in line with policies.

Together, these policies seek to achieve the above outcomes by implementing caps that restrict:

• the number and location of Class 4 and TAB gaming venues in the District
• the maximum number of Class 4 gambling machines (pokie machines) in the District
• whether existing Class 4 venues can relocate within the District.

Review

In reviewing these policies, we’ve gathered data and information from a range of sources to build a picture of the impacts of gambling in the community.  Key findings include:

• Proceeds from Class 4 gambling in the district have increased since the current policies were introduced in 2019, despite a small reduction in the number of gaming venues and machines.
• Class 4 gambling remains much higher risk than other forms of gambling due to its continuous nature, and nationally approximately half of those participating in class 4 gambling at least once a month experienced some level of gambling harm.
• People living close to a gambling venue are more likely to experience problem gambling.
• The harmful impacts of Class 4 gambling in our community are not evenly spread, with Māori and Pacific peoples and young people/rangatahi suffering higher levels of harm than other groups.
• Less than half of the gaming proceeds generated in Kāpiti were returned back to locally-based groups through grants in 2021.

Proposal

We propose to introduce a sinking lid approach for Class 4 venues, Class 4 gambling machines, and standalone TAB venues in our District. This means no new Class 4 venues or gambling machines, and no TAB venues can be established in the District without Council consent. 

Any consent applications will be considered in line with the revised policy objectives to:

1. Minimise harm to Kapiti Coast District communities caused by Class 4 gambling and TAB venue gambling, to the extent this can be reasonably done through a gambling policy.
2. Use a ‘sinking lid’ approach to ensure:
   • no additional Class 4 gambling venues and gaming machines are established in the Kapiti Coast Council District
   • no Class 4 gambling venues relocate within the District
   • no new Tab venues are established in the District
3. that Council and its communities have involvement in decisions about the provision of Class 4 gambling venues and Tab venues in the District.

Submissions

We’re reviewing Council’s gambling policies and sought community feedback on proposed changes August–October 2023. Following are the submissions received:

• Gambling policy submissions – redacted [PDF 257 KB]
• Gambling policy submissions – long form responses [PDF 8.34 MB].