Industry: Local Government
Project: Class 4 Gambling in the Whangarei District
Client: Whangarei District Council
Date: 2006
As a requirement of Section 101 of the Gambling Act 2003, local authorities must establish a Class 4 Gambling Venue Policy and under section 65D of the Racing Act 2003 establish a Board Venue Policy.
Both the Racing Act 2003 and the Gambling Act 2003 require that within three years of adopting this policy the Council is obliged to review it. As a part of that review the Council commissioned APR Consultants to undertake a Social Impact Assessment of class 4 gambling within the Whangarei District and this report is the result of that assessment.
The methodology used for this social impact assessment was a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods plus mapping of gaming and tab sites and deprivation areas within the district. This was required so an analysis of where venues are in relation to low socio-economic areas could be undertaken.
A vast amount of secondary research was undertaken including sourcing and analysing reports and information on the impacts of gaming machines, issues surrounding gaming and problem gambling from New Zealand and overseas, appropriate policy processes and economic data for an economic impact analysis and comparison of gaming venues and machine numbers is other districts. Secondary research was also used to gather financial information on the revenue received by Trusts from gaming and the subsequent grants made to the district from the Trusts and to review the Whangarei District Council Class 4 Gambling Policy in relation to the requirements of the Gambling Act 2003.
To gain an understanding of how the community perceived gambling on gaming machines and sport and race betting a mail survey was undertaken in the district. The survey also sought to discover if the community preferred a decrease, increase or no change to venues that provide this type of gambling. A total of 1600 survey forms were sent out to residents in the district and were randomly selected. A total 639 responses were received with results having a confidence level of 95% and a confidence interval of +/- 3.86%. The survey was mostly analysed using quantitative methods however there were some qualitative questions that were analysed using thematic analysis.
Negative impacts of Class 4 gambling were assessed through secondary research, the mail survey and by way of in-depth interviews and focus groups with key community organisations as specified in the consultant's brief. Key subjects for the discussions included effects on health, quality of life and financial implications. The positive effects of class 4 gambling were assessed through secondary research, the mail survey and in-depth interviews with trust representatives, grant recipients and key industry players.