In an urge to promote safer gambling it is rumoured that the Department of Internal Affairs are set to lower the pokies bet limit.
As gambling rates in New Zealand continue to rise, The Department of Internal Affairs is continuing to push a new strategy to prevent and minimise gambling harm.
In doing so, there have been whispers that they will lower the maximum pokies bet from $2.50 to $1.50.
This comes after it was reported that New Zealanders lost $2.76 billion in 22/23 in four gambling sectors, Lotto New Zealand, TAB NZ, casinos and non-casino machines.
A recent survey showed that between 22,000 and 50,000 Kiwi’s age 18 or older experience gambling issues and over 100,000 have experience issues in their lifetime.
Internal Affairs hopes that in reducing the max bet limit on pokies machines will promote safer gambling and in reduce harm.
However, the reduced bet limit will only affect regulated casino and non-casino machines and will not affect regulated online casinos.
