Christchurch Casino chief executive Brett Anderson says the casino makes a significant positive economic contribution to the city.

Submissions to Christchurch Casino's application to renew its licence for 15 years closed this week. Colin Williscroft looks at what they say.

An intellectually disabled man who lost $16,000 on Christchurch Casino pokie machines while enjoying free food and drink should have been stopped, a family member says.

In a submission on the Christchurch Casino's bid to renew its licence, a relative of the man said the institution's management of problem gamblers was a failure.

DANIEL TOBIN The relative of an intellectually-disabled man who lost $16,000 on the pokies says Casino staff should have stepped in.

The woman, who Stuff has chosen not to name, said the physical signs of the man's intellectual disability were clear.

"They dropped the ball. We're not talking just one visit and it [the intellectual disability] should have been obvious to them."

Instead of raising concerns, the casino encouraged him to stay and supplied him with free food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Joseph Johnson/Stuff Darren Henderson Christchurch Casino asset protection and responsible gambling manager says the casino has invested in technology to help mitigate problem gambling.

The woman said she had experience in gaming room management.

"If I witnessed a person [coming into] a gaming facility, with the physical signs of intellectual disability this person shows, there is no way I would allow them to gamble without assessing their personal situation further."

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JOSEPH JOHNSON/STUFF Christchurch Casino's has introduced new technology to monitor behaviour on its gaming machines.

She said the family had worked extremely hard to pay back the debt found counselling for the man, now in his 50s, and instigated self-exclusion from gambling premises.

The casino operators, if successful in renewing their licence, should be required by the Gambling Commission to better manage problem gambling.

"There's a lot of really vulnerable people out there."

Joseph Johnson/Stuff The number of people in the main tables area at the casino varies depending on the time of day.

The casino did not want to comment on this case, preferring to speak directly to the family.

Former social worker Yvonne MacLeod said she knew of three families whose lives have been destroyed by gambling.

MacLeod wants the casino to have to reapply for its licence every year.

Joseph Johnson/Stuff The number of people going to the casino is about 20 per cent down on pre-earthquake levels.

She said some people had gambled away the equity in their family home. "I personally know of three families this has happened to.

"When I was a social worker and on-call with Oranga Tamariki five years ago a man rang and asked me to take his son because he couldn't afford his rent and had no money for food because he'd gambled his last dollar at the Christchurch Casino. This wee family was destroyed overnight."

WIDESPREAD GAMBLING ISSUES

In its submission, the Problem Gambling Foundation said recent research found one in six New Zealanders reported that a family member had "gone without something they needed, or a bill has gone unpaid because of gambling".

The research also found six per cent of adults reported at least one household harm – an argument or going without due to gambling – in the past 12 months.

The foundation said the casino needed to provide the commission with more compelling evidence to prove gambling-related harm was being minimised.

It suggested using a research tool like the Problem Gambling Severity Index, a standardised measure of at-risk behaviour associated with problem gambling.

The commission should not renew the licence until more in-depth research was done on the harm caused by gambling at the casino and the effectiveness of its harm mitigation, the foundation said.

NEW TECHNOLOGY TO ADDRESS PROBLEM GAMBLING.

Christchurch Casino told Stuff it takes its host responsibility roles seriously.

Darren Henderson, the casino's asset protection and responsible gambling manager, said it had invested in technology to help improve its host responsibility performance.

Its Servizio softwareprovides automatic real-time alerts to key staff about customers at electronic gaming machines whose play is considered "continuous".

The casino is also working with Focal Research, a Canadian-based company, to develop software that analyses people's play patterns on electronic gaming machines. Anderson said the software can detect those at risk of problem gambling with high accuracy.

Thirdly, the casino has invested in facial recognition technology, a first for Australasian casinos. The camera takes a photo of everyone entering the casino and identifies people who shouldn't be on the premises because they have been excluded.

In 2017, there were 185 people excluded by the casino and a further 113 self-exclusions.

Exclusions can last up to two years but can be for periods like three, six, nine or 12 months, depending on the severity of the problem.

Following an exclusion period a person must undertake counselling for their gambling and have a meeting with casino staff to prove they should be allowed back.

IDENTIFYING PROBLEM GAMBLING

Since it opened in 1994 the casino has continuously improved its host responsibility performance, said Henderson.

All staff, including cleaners, are given problem gambling awareness training from their first day on the job.

Problem gambling behaviour can include anything from the amount of time spent on a machine to someone getting angry.

Casino staff approach up to 30 people a day to check on them, Henderson said.

That sometimes involves having difficult conversations, he said. Most problem gamblers don't think they have a problem, so they resent being asked about their gambling.

The staff back up a network of cameras that enable the casino's surveillance staff to monitor the premises for problem gambling behaviour, he said.

The camera network was put to another use after the 2011 earthquake. After the building was evacuated people left chips on the tables.

By using the cameras casino staff were later able to identify who was at the tables, what they had left behind and to reimburse them.

HIGH ROLLERS

Casino chief executive Brett Anderson said the casino makes a significant positive economic contribution to Christchurch, through the staff it employs, the businesses it deals with and the tourists it attracts.

As part of its operation the casino invests in bringing in VIPs or "high rollers" from other parts of New Zealand and from overseas, mainly the eastern seaboard of Australia and Asia.

Those people have their airfares paid. The casino also pays about 1200 room nights a year for them to stay in.

Their length of stay can vary and they are encouraged to get out and see other sights, Anderson said.

That might include a trip to Hanmer or Kaikoura, a visit to Mount Hutt, or fruit picking.

"It's about having a New Zealand experience," he said.

There are a number of ways to become a casino VIP.

Some people might approach the casino directly, especially if they are a member of another casino's VIP club. That club membership is checked, along with other due diligence, including verification of their funds and where that money came from, so as not to break money laundering laws.

Another way of joining the casino's VIP club is to be introduced by an existing member.

The casino receives about 2000 visits a day, Anderson said, although some are repeat visits by the same person.Those visits total about 730,000 a year, 20 per cent lower than before the earthquakes.

CALL FOR BOOST TO CHARITABLE DONATIONS

The casino has 36 tables and 500 gaming machines, though Anderson said many patrons don't gamble. They watch their friends or take advantage of restaurants, bars and other entertainment.

There was no one particular game or table that was consistently more popular than others, he said.

On Friday and Saturday nights blackjack and roulette are popular, while baccarat also attracts a lot of players.

Anderson said the casino contributed to the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust and the New Brighton Surf Life Saving Club, as well as putting money into its own independent charitable trust.

The casino's original licence does not require it to fund such a trust, but Anderson expects one to be part of any new licence.

In its submission, Christchurch City Council called for a minimum level of funding to the trust to be established and set at the greater of 2.5 per cent of net profit or $500,000 a year. .

This was significantly greater than the current $141,000 per year the casino was currently putting into the trust, down on the $191,000 a year it put in during the first five years of its operation.

In 2017 the casino had an operating profit of $16.1 million, so 2.5 per cent is $402,500.

Of the 53 submissions on the casino's licence renewal posted on the Gambling Commission's website, 44 are in support, five oppose it and four are unclear.

Now that submissions have closed they will be reviewed by the commission. That will be followed by a public hearing, which will be held in Christchurch. No date has been set.

The casino's current licence expires at midnight on November 3, 2019.