Funding HQ Urges Community Sector To Oppose Online Casino Bill
The Bill, if passed, will allow up to 15 international online casino operators to be licensed in New Zealand—with no obligation to return any profits to Kiwi communities.
'Thousands of organisations rely on funding from the current community gaming model,' says Funding HQ founder and veteran fundraiser Jenni Giblin. 'This Bill risks replacing that model with one that sends profits offshore while our local sports clubs, rescue services, and charities are left to fend for themselves.'
Under the current system, $366 million is distributed each year by 33 gaming societies to support nearly 9,000 organisations. In 2024 alone, that included:
$170 million for sport
$73 million for community development
$48 million for health and welfare
$20 million for arts and heritage projects
'The sector cannot afford to lose this critical funding stream—especially when operating costs are rising and government support is shrinking. To call community gaming grants a 'perverse consequence' is a dangerous misreading of the real pressures community organisations are under,' says Giblin
Funding HQ has published a free guide to help charities and community groups make a submission. It takes less than 10 minutes and could help protect one of the country's most important funding pipelines.
To make a submission before 17 August, visit: funding-hq.com/submissions
Launched in early 2023, Funding HQ is one of New Zealand's fastest-growing e-learning platforms, providing fundraising training and support to over 200 charities across the social services, arts and culture, environmental, and sports sectors. In response to growing demand from the education sector, Funding HQ recently launched FundED—a tailored subscription-based programme designed to help schools build long-term, sustainable fundraising capability through expert guidance, tools, and training.
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