Online gambling is set to be regulated in February next year, with Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden proposing the practice be legalised, with 15 monitored and regulated providers.
Mataura Licensing Trust general manager Mark Paterson said this would be a major blow to licensing trusts, taking away valuable business and revenue from communities and funnelling it overseas.
However, Invercargill Licensing Trust chief executive Chris Ramsey said he was more supportive of the measures.
"We don’t see it having much of an impact, and I think there’s a fair argument this would make it better for everyone.
"Government would be able to take tax, it would be regulated, the harmful impacts would be better," he said.
"It’s happening already, it’s just not being legitimised. The fact it has had no noticeable impact on our community, it should be OK in the short and intermediate term," he said.
Online gambling was a different experience with a different audience.
"Gambling in a tavern, a pub, it’s a social activity. You’re there around people. [Online gamblers] are doing it in the privacy of their own home, I’m assuming.
"It’s a totally different experience and offering in that regard. I have a casino background, I know first hand, you go there as a form of entertainment, social entertainment," Mr Ramsey said.
The ILT Foundation owns and manages the gaming machines in ILT venues. Manager Lisa-Maree Fleck said in a statement although she was supportive of regulation, there must be the same standards and procedures as for physical gambling.
"We would want to see regulations that are equitable, at least, with the player monitoring, recording, training we are required to do in our venues for gambling harm minimisation, and that a return to the community will be required."
