Adopted by Council, 16 October 2024

Policy

Class 4 Gaming

1. The Christchurch City Council will not grant consent under section 98 of the Gambling Act 2003 to allow any increase in class 4 gaming venues or class 4 machine numbers except in the circumstance set out below.

2. The Christchurch City Council will grant a consent where two or more corporate societies are merging and require Ministerial approval to operate up to the statutory limit in accordance with section 95 (4) of the Gambling Act 2003. The total number of machines that may operate at the venue must not exceed 18 machines.

Totalisator Agency Board (TAB)

3. The Christchurch City Council will grant a Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) venue consent to the New Zealand Racing Board to establish a Board venue (the Board must meet all other statutory requirements, including the City Plan requirements, in respect of such proposed venue).

General

4. The consent fee is $161 (inclusive of GST) and will be reviewed annually through the Annual Plan process.

5. All applications for consents must be made on the approved form.

6. The Chief Executive of the Council is delegated the power to process consent applications in accordance with this policy and may further delegate this power to other officers.

7. If the Council amends or replaces this policy, it is required to do so in accordance with the special consultative procedure outlined in the Local Government Act 2002.

8. In accordance with the Gambling Act 2003 and the Racing Act 2003, the Council will complete a review of the Gambling Venue Policy and the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) Policy within three years of their adoption and every three years thereafter.

Explanatory note

Any references in this policy to the Christchurch City Plan requirements should be read as a reference to the requirements of the Christchurch District Plan which became operative on 19 December 2017.

The Racing Act 2003 was repealed on 1 August 2020 and replaced by the Racing Industry Act 2020. Therefore any references to the Racing Act 2003 should be read as a reference to the Racing Industry Act 2020.

The terms in the 2020 Act specify that “New Zealand Racing Board” is now known as “TAB NZ”. In addition, “Board Venues” are now known as “TAB Venues” being the premises that are owned or leased by TAB NZ and where the main business carried out at the premises is providing racing betting or sports betting services.