New Zealand sporting bodies unite to fight proposed Online Casino Gambling Bill

[The Buzz]

Over 50 sporting organizations in New Zealand have joined forces to oppose the government's proposed Online Casino Gambling Bill. They warn the bill could seriously harm community sports by not requiring licensed operators to reinvest a portion of their profits back into the community.

Introduced by Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden in June, the bill aims to regulate offshore online casino gambling by licensing up to 15 international operators. Despite passing its first reading in Parliament with a vote of 83 to 39, including support from the Green Party, sports leaders are concerned. They argue that the bill's failure to mandate a community contribution from operators is a major and dangerous oversight.

From The New Zealand Herald:

Cycling New Zealand chair Martin Snedden is leading the charge against the legislation and told Newstalk ZB it poses a “massive risk” to grassroots sport.

“This is a crazy move by the Government,” Snedden said. “Sport has thrived for decades off the back of community gambling grants. It all goes to clubs, not professional sport.

“There had been no consultation with the sport sector, no warning that this was coming. As soon as I saw it, I recognised the extent of the risk to community funding.”

Snedden said the timing couldn’t be worse, with clubs already struggling amid rising costs, shrinking sponsorship and reduced support from financially stretched local governments.

He’s urging ministers to revisit the bill’s design and reinstate the original intent behind early drafts, which included a requirement for international operators to contribute to community funding.

“The Prime Minister, the Minister of Sport, Mark Mitchell, the Associate Minister of Sport, Chris Bishop, they all love sport dearly,” Snedden said.

Read more here: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/new...BAES2WJXIP2MI/

[TheGooner]

Reporting is funny isn't it. Here is the truth.

In the past the sporting National bodies got a cut of the profits from the monopoly sportsbook TAB - based on how popular their sport was with bettors.

For example, the NZ football Federation got a slice of profits from bets on the FIFA World Cup or English Premier League, even though they had nothing to do with the running of those comps - merely because they were the local football federation.

Other sports got the same boost - so cricket benefited from the Indian Premier League betting, Cycling got money on Tour DE France bets etc.
These bodies never got a slice of action from other sports - or any other betting like poker or casino.

Now these bodies are insisting on getting a slice of money from the 15 new casino operators that might be licensed in 2026.

Did you get that meaning from this report?
I didn't.

The SPIN and PR is enormous here.
And most of the money will not go to grass root sports - but it will pay for a new group of sports administrators and PR people in those sports.

Follow the money - it's a weird old trail for lies, deceit and PR spin.