New Zealand Casino Operators Fund Nonprofit Online Organizations

New Zealand’s Waikato community officials say that hundreds of the community’s nonprofit groups wouldn’t be able to survive without funds, raised through pokie machines. These machines are perfectly in line with New Zealand gambling laws and are enjoying a steady increase in usage.

According to latest reports, spending on pokie machines in Waikato community was up by almost $400K in the last quarter and now amounts to over $6 million. Overall New Zealanders spent $220 million on pokie machines in Q2, a seven percent increase compared to Q1.

President of Hamilton Roller Skating Club, Kathy Moody, noted that over a fifth of total funding, used to erect the Melville Park skating rink came from gaming machines. She said: “It was hugely helpful, we wouldn’t get there if we hadn’t had the funds from pokie machines.”

Kathy Moody stressed that the club is now self-sufficient, and commented: “We got sums like $20,000 for The Lion Foundation and $15,000 from the New Zealand Community Trust and $15,000 from Southern Trust. That was huge money. I think if it’s used for worthwhile community projects I don’t have too much of a problem. Most of the gaming trusts are mindful of the danger they do cause and I think it is policed pretty strongly through the Department of Internal Affairs.”

New Zealanders are able to enjoy both offline and online forms of gambling including foreign based online casinos in New Zealand. Unfortunately the money spent at foreign online casinos fund nonprofit projects in other countries which permit adults to gamble over the internet.

Michele Connell, general manager of the non for profit Balloons over Waikato, said to New Zealand gambling news: “No-one wants to promote gambling but these organizations and trusts are very worthwhile to community organizations as a whole. The flip side is that there are fantastic community events and organizations that benefit because of it.”