August 8, 2025 • 7 mins
New Zealand’s sporting industry is pushing back against the Government’s proposal for online casinos.
It's is preparing to licence up to 15 online casinos as it regulates online gambling for the first time, and the operators wouldn’t need to give returns to sporting clubs and community groups like is required of other licensed gambling operators.
Anna Galvan, former Silver Fern and chair of Christchurch Netball, spoke with Lesley Murdoch about the impact this would have on grassroot and community sport in New Zealand.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yeah, Look, I'm really really concerned about this change or
this potential change in legislation and what it means for
our community sport. That's everyday people who are going down
to courts, to rugby fields, to tennis courts, watching young
people do sport. This is where the change is going
to happen. So what the government or the bill that
(00:23):
is before Parliament now is the Online Casino Gambling Bill
and it proposes to license online gambling to operators outside
New Zealand and it doesn't require them to return the
funding back to the community. Now, this is a very
sharp departure from what we currently do here in New Zealand,
(00:43):
which is where gambling proceeds fund I think it's about
more than one hundred and seventy million. That's one hundred
and seventy million dollars into community sport in our country.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Now I need to declare my interest. I am a
trustee on New Zealand Community Trust. It is a class
for gambling society and I am very proud to say
that on an annual basis we give back forty million
dollars to the community through grants from the venue operators.
Over eighty percent or just on. Eighty percent of that
(01:16):
forty million goes to amateur sport around New Zealands. So
this is a big departure, you are right, But what
it could do is stop a whole lot of money
going into the club scene, keeping clubs alive.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Right, that's right. So we have to imagine this. This
is a grassroots sport we're talking about. We're not talking
about the professional arm of the game. So that's the
clear delimination that needs to be made here. This is
grassroots sport and are already struggling or with rising costs.
You know, it's really hard to get sponsorship. We've got
local governments who are stretched, so we need this funding
(01:52):
to come in. It's funds, you know, the cones and
the bibs and you know, the tools of trade that
we need to keep our sports clubs alive at the
grass its level. We need to stand up and we
need to speak out about it. So that's everyone who
is passionate about children's sport and about the value. Now,
actually I must have said it's not just sport, it's
other recreation and other arts as well, so it's not
(02:14):
just sport. But you know, I'm talking to the sporting
community per se. Here we've got to make submissions to
the government and we can. Let's get that link, Let's
find out where that is, Leslie and get that up
for your listeners, so that we can actually stand up,
make our voices heard and repel this this online casino
bill that's before Parliament at the moment, someone.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
From football was talking about nineteen million dollars a year
goes towards football clubs, mostly for kit equipment, paying those
affiliation fees which actually keeps the running of the club's going.
So it is absolutely vital that this money or there
be a directive that this money from the new online
casinos does have a directive to go back to the community.
(02:57):
And obviously, as you say, we're talking sport, it could
be culture, it could be arts, it could be ballet,
it could be music, anything, couldn't it.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
That's right. And look, you know these these cultural activities,
these sports activities, they are woven into our everyday life.
And without this money, the current models just will not survive.
And I know in Australia you play really high membership
fees to belong to your Netbork club or your football club.
You know upwards of one thousand dollars, which means that
sport isn't available for everyone. Well, in New Zealand, you know,
(03:27):
few dollars you can belong to your to your football
club or your netball cover year. So you know that's
the money that is from the proceeds of this gambling
is actually what goes into funding our grassroots sports in
art at the moment, and we don't want to lose that.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
So Anna, there has been some advice given to the
Minister on this that in the distribution of moneys out
to the community, there should not be any over reliance
on it. What do you say to that as an
enduring part of our club system.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Well, look, that's probably a fair enough comment. However, where
is the money coming from. If it's not coming from that,
Anyone who's involved in fundraising or sponsorship or anything to
do with any of that realm of bringing money in
at the moment knows how tight our economy is. And
if you like, I'm going to call this it's not
(04:18):
the right thing to call it, but it's free money
for these clubs that we absolutely desperately need.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Because we want clubs to survive.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Surely, yeah, correct, I mean, as we both know, these clubs,
these community groups, these art forms, they are the lifeline,
the backbone of our country. So why would we not
want them to succeed? And the reality is, at the moment,
given the state of the economy, given the cost of
living crisis, people just will not be able to dip
into their pockets and pay. The money can't come from sponsorship,
(04:48):
It can't come. It can't get sponsors for the tactics
who you know with TV coverage, with positive role models
who visibly you can see the impacts that they're having.
Then how you can to get it for something that
you can't see, like bibs or cones or corner flags
or whistles for the referees.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Oh, we certainly don't. Look, I'm just looking online and
it says that the Select Committee consultation period for this
particular part of the legislation only runs to August the seventeenth,
So that's a week, just over a week for people
to get their submissions in. What we're trying to do
this morning is make people aware that this could be
on the cards. It could be a law that could
(05:28):
change and rip the heart out of Kiwi club sport.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Yeah, and look, just one small example a project that's
really passionate close to home for me at Netbell is
our amazing facility at Napunawai. You know, sure, we had
an amazing benefactor who donated US eleven million for that,
but the rest of that funding came from a lot
of the rest of that funding came from these community
grants to build this community facility for our gymnasts and
(05:54):
our fzel players and our corporal players and our netblele
players et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, and enjoy And
that's what we want to keep this money going into
the community to support these clubs and these young people
who just want to be healthy, be active, be part
of a team.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Absolutely well, Pott. Well, as I mentioned, there's not much
more time to go on this before it goes before
the Select Committee, so people have to hurriedly get their
forms in and we will have an address on our
Facebook page to show where you can go to do this.
But Anna glan as always, thank you so much. Still
again buzzing from that Tactics win.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
We celebrated last night with the Tactics end of season
function and look, I mean just to shout out to
those the amazing the people behind the team. But then
also those young women, those athletes, man, they are physically,
mentally and emotionally really amazing strong woman role models for
our young people. So I just congratulate them and everyone
(06:54):
involved in the team.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
And of course to Pius Selby Rickett taking out the
big awards, the July Seymour.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Yeah, the room erupted in loud applause as lots of
Yahoo's from the back when she won that kinda Peterson
picked up moss Full Awards on the night too. It
was really nice to honor Jane Watson and Ali Bird
and few of the others. It was a really warm
celebration of you know, not just to Pire and her
amazing efforts, but also that team. Look, twenty eight years
(07:20):
is a long time, and there were some of us
in the room who had been there right from the outset.
And then you know, the victorious sweet especially because it
was the Tactics and then that National Netball League team,
the team underneath the Tactics who took out the competition
as well. So to win both is the first time
in history that's ever happened in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Thank you so much. Keep up the fantastic work on
and off the court, Arna Galvin, and we really appreciate
your words this morning.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Thanks Ezzie.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
For more from News Talks, there'd be listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on IR Radio
Yeah, Look, I'm really really concerned about this change or
this potential change in legislation and what it means for
our community sport. That's everyday people who are going down
to courts, to rugby fields, to tennis courts, watching young
people do sport. This is where the change is going
to happen. So what the government or the bill that
(00:23):
is before Parliament now is the Online Casino Gambling Bill
and it proposes to license online gambling to operators outside
New Zealand and it doesn't require them to return the
funding back to the community. Now, this is a very
sharp departure from what we currently do here in New Zealand,
(00:43):
which is where gambling proceeds fund I think it's about
more than one hundred and seventy million. That's one hundred
and seventy million dollars into community sport in our country.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Now I need to declare my interest. I am a
trustee on New Zealand Community Trust. It is a class
for gambling society and I am very proud to say
that on an annual basis we give back forty million
dollars to the community through grants from the venue operators.
Over eighty percent or just on. Eighty percent of that
(01:16):
forty million goes to amateur sport around New Zealands. So
this is a big departure, you are right, But what
it could do is stop a whole lot of money
going into the club scene, keeping clubs alive.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Right, that's right. So we have to imagine this. This
is a grassroots sport we're talking about. We're not talking
about the professional arm of the game. So that's the
clear delimination that needs to be made here. This is
grassroots sport and are already struggling or with rising costs.
You know, it's really hard to get sponsorship. We've got
local governments who are stretched, so we need this funding
(01:52):
to come in. It's funds, you know, the cones and
the bibs and you know, the tools of trade that
we need to keep our sports clubs alive at the
grass its level. We need to stand up and we
need to speak out about it. So that's everyone who
is passionate about children's sport and about the value. Now,
actually I must have said it's not just sport, it's
other recreation and other arts as well, so it's not
(02:14):
just sport. But you know, I'm talking to the sporting
community per se. Here we've got to make submissions to
the government and we can. Let's get that link, Let's
find out where that is, Leslie and get that up
for your listeners, so that we can actually stand up,
make our voices heard and repel this this online casino
bill that's before Parliament at the moment, someone.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
From football was talking about nineteen million dollars a year
goes towards football clubs, mostly for kit equipment, paying those
affiliation fees which actually keeps the running of the club's going.
So it is absolutely vital that this money or there
be a directive that this money from the new online
casinos does have a directive to go back to the community.
(02:57):
And obviously, as you say, we're talking sport, it could
be culture, it could be arts, it could be ballet,
it could be music, anything, couldn't it.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
That's right. And look, you know these these cultural activities,
these sports activities, they are woven into our everyday life.
And without this money, the current models just will not survive.
And I know in Australia you play really high membership
fees to belong to your Netbork club or your football club.
You know upwards of one thousand dollars, which means that
sport isn't available for everyone. Well, in New Zealand, you know,
(03:27):
few dollars you can belong to your to your football
club or your netball cover year. So you know that's
the money that is from the proceeds of this gambling
is actually what goes into funding our grassroots sports in
art at the moment, and we don't want to lose that.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
So Anna, there has been some advice given to the
Minister on this that in the distribution of moneys out
to the community, there should not be any over reliance
on it. What do you say to that as an
enduring part of our club system.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Well, look, that's probably a fair enough comment. However, where
is the money coming from. If it's not coming from that,
Anyone who's involved in fundraising or sponsorship or anything to
do with any of that realm of bringing money in
at the moment knows how tight our economy is. And
if you like, I'm going to call this it's not
(04:18):
the right thing to call it, but it's free money
for these clubs that we absolutely desperately need.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Because we want clubs to survive.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Surely, yeah, correct, I mean, as we both know, these clubs,
these community groups, these art forms, they are the lifeline,
the backbone of our country. So why would we not
want them to succeed? And the reality is, at the moment,
given the state of the economy, given the cost of
living crisis, people just will not be able to dip
into their pockets and pay. The money can't come from sponsorship,
(04:48):
It can't come. It can't get sponsors for the tactics
who you know with TV coverage, with positive role models
who visibly you can see the impacts that they're having.
Then how you can to get it for something that
you can't see, like bibs or cones or corner flags
or whistles for the referees.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Oh, we certainly don't. Look, I'm just looking online and
it says that the Select Committee consultation period for this
particular part of the legislation only runs to August the seventeenth,
So that's a week, just over a week for people
to get their submissions in. What we're trying to do
this morning is make people aware that this could be
on the cards. It could be a law that could
(05:28):
change and rip the heart out of Kiwi club sport.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Yeah, and look, just one small example a project that's
really passionate close to home for me at Netbell is
our amazing facility at Napunawai. You know, sure, we had
an amazing benefactor who donated US eleven million for that,
but the rest of that funding came from a lot
of the rest of that funding came from these community
grants to build this community facility for our gymnasts and
(05:54):
our fzel players and our corporal players and our netblele
players et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, and enjoy And
that's what we want to keep this money going into
the community to support these clubs and these young people
who just want to be healthy, be active, be part
of a team.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Absolutely well, Pott. Well, as I mentioned, there's not much
more time to go on this before it goes before
the Select Committee, so people have to hurriedly get their
forms in and we will have an address on our
Facebook page to show where you can go to do this.
But Anna glan as always, thank you so much. Still
again buzzing from that Tactics win.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
We celebrated last night with the Tactics end of season
function and look, I mean just to shout out to
those the amazing the people behind the team. But then
also those young women, those athletes, man, they are physically,
mentally and emotionally really amazing strong woman role models for
our young people. So I just congratulate them and everyone
(06:54):
involved in the team.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
And of course to Pius Selby Rickett taking out the
big awards, the July Seymour.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Yeah, the room erupted in loud applause as lots of
Yahoo's from the back when she won that kinda Peterson
picked up moss Full Awards on the night too. It
was really nice to honor Jane Watson and Ali Bird
and few of the others. It was a really warm
celebration of you know, not just to Pire and her
amazing efforts, but also that team. Look, twenty eight years
(07:20):
is a long time, and there were some of us
in the room who had been there right from the outset.
And then you know, the victorious sweet especially because it
was the Tactics and then that National Netball League team,
the team underneath the Tactics who took out the competition
as well. So to win both is the first time
in history that's ever happened in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Thank you so much. Keep up the fantastic work on
and off the court, Arna Galvin, and we really appreciate
your words this morning.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Thanks Ezzie.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
For more from News Talks, there'd be listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on IR Radio
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