An amended Gambling Policy and social impact assessment for the Whakatāne District have now been adopted, following the consideration of public submissions by the Whakatāne District Council.

At last week's Extraordinary Council Meeting, a number of amendments were made to the draft documents, reflecting the formal and informal community feedback received from a wide range of individuals and organisations. Amongst the key changes to the Gambling Policy was the addition of a number of sensitive sites to the gambling permitted area maps. These included libraries, museums, WINZ offices and medical centres. Inclusion on the map precludes the establishment of new gambling venues within 50 metres of each sensitive site.

The proposed cap on the number of 'pokies' allowed in the District will remain at 141 licensed machines. In effect, the cap would prevent the establishment of any new venues, or increases in the number of pokies at existing venues, until the number of licensed machines in the District falls below 141. Council elected members noted that the current number of operating machines in the District had dropped by 8 to 173, because the Murupara Services and Citizens Club is no longer licensed to operate gaming machines.

A proposed clause limiting the number of machines to four in the first year of a venue's operation was removed from the policy, bringing it into line with the Gambling Act, which allows up to nine machines during that period.

The policy's relocation clause was also amended to allow current venues to relocate, providing their new venue is in a Business Centre zone and not within 50 metres of a sensitive site.

Changes were also made to the social impact assessment to reflect research information provided by the Problem Gambling Foundation on gambling harm relating to the accessibility and number of gambling machines.

The new Gambling Policy took effect from 18 May 2016 and, in accordance with the Gambling Act 2003 and the Racing Act 2003, will be reviewed in May 2019.