Hon Rick Barker
Minister of Internal Affairs

21 March 2007
Media Release

Gaming machines hooked up ahead of schedule

Internal Affairs Minister Rick Barker said today that for the first time, all pokie machines in New Zealand are now connected to electronic monitoring.

The Gambling Act 2003 required all non-casino gaming machines to be connected to an electronic monitoring system by 18 March 2007. Machines in our casinos are already connected to monitoring systems.

“In what has been a huge logistical exercise, 20,289 machines in over 1,600 venues around the country have been hooked up to the electronic monitoring system,” said Rick Barker.

“Venues from the Mussel Rock Bar in Kaitaia to the Railway Hotel in Nightcaps, and from Wellington’s Backbencher to the Hotel Chathams, have all been connected.

“The final venue to be connected was the Kumara Hotel on the West Coast, which was hooked up on the 9th of March.

“All those involved in this project are to be congratulated for completing this complex and challenging project ahead of schedule,” said Rick Barker.

On average 18 technicians a day have worked on the project since it started in May 2006.

“The electronic monitoring system will help safeguard money intended for the community,” said Rick Barker.

An electronic monitoring system obtains accurate and timely information about gaming machine usage. It will:

- limit opportunities for crime or dishonesty in the operation of gaming machines

- help ensure the integrity and fairness of games

- improve transparency of the money that is spent in gaming machines

- assist to identify problems with gaming machines

- enhance the collection of data to support policy development; and

- inform New Zealanders about gaming machine operations in their communities.

“Internationally, most electronic monitoring systems roll out at the same time gaming machines are first introduced. What’s made this roll out so impressive is that to the best of our knowledge, we are the first jurisdiction to introduce monitoring into existing gaming machine venues,” said Rick Barker.

ENDS

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