You may have noticed the recent media attention this is now receiving including this release online through Stuff:
It provides a good summary for our members to understand the risk to basketball associated with this proposed legislation, as well as to community sport in general.
The Government’s proposed Online Gambling Bill is a great step forward in regulating offshore gambling, but it leaves out a crucial piece – community funding. Unlike pokie machines, online operators won’t be required to return profits to grassroots sports.
That’s a major threat to many sports, including our basketball whānau, which received $9m in community grants last year alone.
Without a clause to protect this funding, the implications on our sport could be devastating – less hoops, less basketballs, and even less Associations.
Join the call for fair funding. Let’s make sure the Bill gives back to the communities it impacts.
How to make a submission
It will only take 30-40 minutes to prepare and submit. The Select Committee just needs to hear, in your words, how crucial grants from gambling revenue (the pokie trusts) are to your RSO or Club.
Go to the Parliament link here (https://www.parliament.nz/en/ECommitteeSubmission/54SCGOA_SCF_15AF0468-FAB5-4BFD-AB1D-08DDB77FF1E9/CreateSubmission) and follow the steps to either;
- send the Select Committee your own letter, or
- use Parliament’s online form to make your comments
Everyone has a right to appear in front of the Committee (only five minutes, in person or by video). We strongly encourage you to appear as it triples the impact of your submission.
