Twister

About Twister

The New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has recovered NZ$11.5 million (US$6.6 million) in an investigation into compliance across the pokies sector.

The regulator of gambling in New Zealand announced on Friday that the funds returned by operators will be directed towards community organisations.

Under Section 106 of New Zealand’s Gambling Act 2003, a class 4 licence holder, also known as a “corporate society” by the regulator, “must apply or distribute the net proceeds from class 4 gambling only to or for an authorised purpose specified in the corporate society’s licence”.

About Twister

The report underscored gambling harm as a significant public health concern. It cited the Gambling Commission’s Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), which has indicated that between one and 1.5 million adults in Great Britain now score high enough on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) rangeto indicate problem gambling. 

According to the system used to rank players on the PGSI, a score of 0 or between 1 and 3 is considered low-risk, while scoring between 3 and 7 suggests moderate risk, and a score of 8 or higher represents problem gambling.

Although many industry commentators have pushed back against the GSGB and methods used in the survey to determine the scale of problem gambling in the UK.

What is Twister?

They took the dispute to international arbitration, claiming Laos had violated investment treaties protecting their businesses.

The two sides reached a settlement in 2014, but that agreement also fell apart, and the casino companies renewed their claims.

Ultimately, the gamble backfired.