Top Gaming Lounges with Pokie Machines in Auckland
Highest Ranked Gaming Lounges Near Me in Auckland 2024
Here you find some of the top rated gaming lounges in Auckland where you can play pokie machines and have fun. The list includes the number of pokies they offer, the location, phone numbers and more.
1. Gordy’s Bar and Gaming
Gordy’s Bar and Gaming is a gaming lounge that offers 20 pokie machines, TAB facilities, Keno, live sports broadcasts, and a variety of drinks and food.
Location: 5 Jack Conway Ave, Manukau, Auckland 2104, New Zealand.
Phone: +64 9-262 0899
Website: –
Open hours: From 11 am to 3 am every day.
2. 123 Palm Bar
123 Palm Bar gaming lounge has 18 pokie machines, a TAB terminal, a pool table, and a dart board. It also serves beers, wines, spirits, and snacks.
Location: 123 Great South Rd, Papatoetoe, Auckland 2025, New Zealand.
Phone: +64 9-278 6666
Website: http://www.123bar.co.nz/
Open hours: From 10 am to 11 pm from Sunday to Thursday, and from 10 am to 1 am on Friday and Saturday.
3. Fox’s Ale House
Fox’s Ale House gaming lounge features 18 pokie machines, a TAB terminal, a big screen TV, and a jukebox. It also offers a range of beers, wines, spirits, and pub food.
Location: 85/87 Customs St W, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.
Phone: +64 9-358 2767
Website: https://goodspiritshospitality.co.nz/the-fox/
Open hours: From 11 am to 3 am every day.
4. The Way Point
The Way Point gaming lounge has 15 pokie machines, a TAB terminal, a pool table, and a dart board. It also serves beers, wines, spirits, and pizzas.
Location: 89 Springs Rd, East Tamaki, Auckland 2013, New Zealand.
Phone: +64 9-274 0490
Website: https://www.facebook.com/TheWaypointNz/
Open hours: From 10 am to 10 pm from Monday to Thursday, from 10 am to midnight on Friday and Saturday, and from noon to 10 pm on Sunday.
5. Shakespeare Tavern
Shakespeare Tavern: This gaming lounge offers 9 pokie machines, a TAB terminal, live sports broadcasts, and live music. It also has a microbrewery that produces its own beers and ciders.
Location: 61 Albert St, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.
Phone: +64 9-373 5396 or visit their website.
Website: https://www.shakespeare.nz/
Open hours: From 11 am to midnight from Monday to Thursday, from 11 am to 2 am on Friday and Saturday, and from noon to midnight on Sunday.
Gaming Lounge Rules and Regulations
Both the Auckland Council and the government control the gaming and pokies rules in Auckland. The Auckland Council has a policy that limits both the venues and the machines for pokies. This means that there can be no new places for pokies, and the existing places cannot add or move their machines. The council also needs to approve any new TAB places, and they only allow 43 of them.
The government is working on new rules for places with poker machines, to stop people from gambling too much. All the rules will make gaming lounges more responsible for their customers, such as by training their staff, checking their machines, and changing their layout. The places that do not follow the rules will face new penalties.
The government also says that people have to be at least 18 years old to gamble, and they cannot use credit cards for gambling payments. 18 is the highest number of machines a gaming lounge can have, unless it is a club or a casino. Maximum amount of money that a person can bet or win per spin is $2.50 and $500 respectively.
History of Gambling in Auckland
Gambling has been a part of New Zealand’s culture since the colonial times, but it was not always legal or regulated. Here is a brief overview of the history of gambling in Auckland.
- The first forms of gambling in Auckland were card games brought by the European settlers in the 19th century. These games were mostly unregulated until the Gambling Act of 1908, which restricted gambling to racetracks only.
- In 1910, bookmakers were banned from racetracks and other sporting events, forcing off-course gambling underground. This situation lasted until 1951, when the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) was created to allow legal betting on horse races and other sports.
- In 1877, the Otago Art Society introduced the concept of art unions, which were lotteries that offered works of art as prizes. These lotteries were soon copied by other organizations and causes, and became very popular in Auckland and other cities. However, the low returns and the competition from overseas lotteries led to the establishment of the Golden Kiwi lottery in 1961, which was run by the National Government.
- In 1994, Auckland got its first legal casino, the SkyCity Casino, which is still the largest in the country. The casino offers a variety of games, entertainment, and dining options for tourists and locals alike. There are also four other casinos in New Zealand, located in Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, and Queenstown.
- In 1991, pokies or slot machines were introduced to New Zealand, and they quickly became a favorite form of gambling for many people. Pokies can be found in casinos, as well as in bars and restaurants across Auckland and other cities. The pokies are owned by charitable foundations, which use the profits for various community purposes.
Pokies Negative Effects on Society
Pokies are a form of gambling that can have harmful effects on individuals and society. Some of the negative effects are:
- Financial losses and debts: Pokies can be very addictive and make people spend more money than they can afford. This can lead to financial problems, such as debts, bankruptcy, poverty, and homelessness. According to my web search results, people spend a lot of money on slots at gaming lounges in Auckland each year.
- Emotional and psychological distress: Pokies can cause stress, anxiety, depression, guilt, shame, and low self-esteem for the gamblers and their families. Pokie machines can also trigger or worsen mental health issues, such as substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, and gambling disorder. Gambling disorder is a condition where people have a persistent and recurrent problem with gambling that affects their personal and social functioning.
- Relationship and family breakdown: Pokie machines can damage the relationships between the gamblers and their partners, children, friends, and co-workers. This can cause conflicts, mistrust, violence, neglect, abuse, and separation. Pokies can also affect the well-being and development of children who are exposed to gambling environments or behaviours.
- Productivity loss and work impacts: Slots can affect the performance and attendance of the gamblers at work or school. Pokies can also reduce the contribution of the gamblers to the economy and society. Pokie machines can also increase the demand for social services and health care, which puts a strain on public resources.
FAQs
According to my web search results, people spend a lot of money on pokies in Auckland each year. In 2022, the total amount lost on pokies in Auckland City was $301.9 million, which was the highest among all the districts in New Zealand. This means that on average, each person in Auckland City lost about $200 on pokies in 2022. Pokies are the most popular form of gambling in New Zealand, accounting for about 40 percent of the total gambling expenditure. However, pokies also cause a lot of harm to individuals and communities, especially those who are vulnerable to problem gambling.
