Community Gaming Association: DIA Criticism Off Target

Recent criticism by the Department of Internal Affairs about the activities of some of the organisations which operate gaming machines for community fundraising ignores the role the department has played in creating the very environment it complains about,the Chairman of the Community Gaming Association, John Burke, said today.

The department has agreed with us that the current system of reimbursing venues for the costs they incur is flawed. We say it is because the system imposes huge compliance costs which deliver no benefit to the community.

The industry and the DIA have been working since 2005 to try to agree on a new approach but we are constantly stymied but the literal and meaningless interpretation of the current rules.

We agreed more than a year ago that it would be preferable to have a simple system in place which is transparent. We are still working towards that goal.

The industry has constantly argued for a commission system in the same way as the Racing Board and the Lotteries Commission reimburse their retailers for the services they provide. Despite agreeing with the industry that a commission system would be simpler to operate and more transparent, the DIA has been unable to get the law changed to make that happen.

While we have the system we have, a small number of people and organisations will not comply. To accuse all operators of “rorting†the system goes too far.

The people who raise funds for the community by using gaming machines are committed to doing the best they can within the constraints of overly complex regulations and rules. They are constantly under examination by Departmental inspectors. They are regularly audited by Departmental auditors. The Department must bear part of the blame for the errors which have occurred while they have been watching, concluded Mr Burke.

ENDS

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