Protesters Target Greedy Tavern

A recently formed gambling action group will picket the Kilbirnie Tavern next week to protest the placing of pokie machines in an outdoor smoking area.

Louise Hill, spokesperson for Pokie Concern Wellington says her group will picket the tavern on Friday, May 4.

"It is well established that stopping for a cigarette breaks the trance that gamblers on pokie machines get into," she said.

"This tavern has decided to deny gamblers the opportunity to stop and think for a minute."

"Making more money from patrons is being put ahead of their welfare."

Ms Hill says that a tavern is like any other business in a community and will always do better if it plays a responsible role in society.

"Problem gambling weakens our communities, it leads to family breakdowns, crime, bankruptcy and despair," she said.

"This business has decided to take a strip mining approach to its local community by trying to extract every possible dollar from vulnerable people."

Ms Hill says that problem gambling has become a matter of wide-spread concern and she expects the picket to get support from a number of community organisations that spend their time picking up the pieces caused by out of control pokie owners and operators.

ENDS