The Charitable Gaming or Community Gaming Trusts and Companies, which operate machines in pubs and hotels under Class 4 Gambling, are required to distribute 40% of their revenue to not-for-profit community groups. By comparison, Casinos in New Zealand return less than 2% of their annual profits to these communities. Class 4 Gambling delivers approximately $250m per year. In addition, Class 4 Gambling provides Government with over $200m a year in taxes and levies, such as the annual payment of around $13m to the Ministry of Health to fund their problem gambling strategy.
Our policy is to return 90% of the funds available for grants to their local community of origin. The remaining 10% supports major and highly effective national causes like Breast Cancer Cure, Diabetes NZ, Surf Life Saving, Cystic Fibrosis Ass of NZ, Kids Camps NZ – important services for the wellbeing of Kiwis throughout New Zealand. New Zealand’s Community Class 4 Gambling Model really is unique and special. Nowhere else in the world do local community groups have access to funds such as those given away by the Four Winds Foundation Limited.
"Problem Gambling Awareness and Harm Minimisation training is good for the community and makes good business sense. Four Winds Foundation is proud of its regional New Zealand roots and the benefits the local communities gain from our gaming venues. The Four Winds Foundation training policies, and our responsible hosts who operate our venues, combine to ensure that our venues’ practices exceed legislation and regulation"
We are dedicated to ensuring our venues are "Community Friendly" and will be diligent in our monitoring of our patrons and strict when enforcing the rules and regulations of the Gaming Act 2003.
Four Winds takes its harm prevention duties seriously with a goal to eliminate harm from our venues. We have invested in the latest technologies to help identify and eliminate problem gambling.
Our venues are committed to meeting their social responsibility fully and do not wish to receive monies from players who cannot afford the losses. Gaming machines exist purely for the purposes of raising funds for deserving local Kiwi communities. There is no point in taking money from members of the community that contributes to hardship and suffering in that community. That is what this problem gambling policy is all about and why it is so important for staff to be trained and effective in identifying and assisting actual and potential problem gamblers.
If problem gambling occurs at our venues, then we urge you to contact us so we can immediately address the issue. All Four Winds venues staff are trained to identify problem gambling and to help where necessary. All Four Winds venues contain on-site material that provides detailed information on harm prevention & contact details for free professional assistance.
Applications close on the Last Working Day of the Month for consideration at our next Grant’s Committee Meeting.