A claim by a Dunedin-based gambling trust it was unfairly targeted by the Department of Internal Affairs has been rejected by the Gambling Commission.
On Monday, the commission rejected a claim by Caversham Foundation that the secretary for Internal Affairs failed to act in good faith, or "engaged in procedural misconduct" in not renewing its pokie machine operator's licence.
On November 21, 2007, the secretary for Internal Affairs refused to renew the operator's licence, on the grounds of financial viability and compliance issues, and the trust appealed the decision on March 19.
On September 11, Caversham was issued a conditional licence for six months, which required the trust to provide monthly financial information to the secretary.
An appeal by the trust on the conditions imposed was later dropped.
On October 2, the trust applied to the Gambling Commission for costs of $37,500 be awarded, which the Gambling Commission rejected in a decision on Monday.
Internal Affairs gambling compliance director Mike Hill welcomed the decision.
"A gambling operator's licence is a privilege, not a right, and gambling operators must meet high standards to justify remaining operational."
