Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell defended his Gambling Harm Reduction Bill in Parliament tonight.

The Government and SkyCity have signed off on their controversial deal under which the casino company will build a $402 million international convention centre.

The Auckland Council has voted not to support the $400 million national convention centre for pokies deal on the eve of the Government and SkyCity signing off the deal.

Public opinion has turned against the Government's SkyCity international convention centre deal just days before it is due to be signed off.

I am now thinking on the next step in this issue, writes Te Ururoa Flavell. "In particular taking aim at the racing industry, and their exemption from the current package of reforms."

The rise in problem gambling cannot be solely credited to poker machines, writes Tony Cooper.

Matt McCarten was in an elevator with a senior gambling executive five years ago. It was a few days before John Key ousted Helen Clark's government.

Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell has accepted a major rewriting of his Gambling Harm Reduction Bill in order to secure National Party support for it.

Judy Fairey asks: "If the Govt's aim is truly to get more high-spending tourists, then why is the focus on putting in poker machines and electronic gambling tables?"

The Government has two choices, writes Jim Evans. But each of them would need to emasculate the carefully worked out structure of the Gambling Act 2003.

Sports betting laws should be overhauled to curb a growing number of addicts, say anti-gambling campaigners.

The New Zealand government and SkyCity Entertainment Group are giving themselves another fortnight to cut a deal on the terms for the casino and hotel operator to build a $402 million convention centre in Auckland in exchange for regulatory concessions.

A lucky Tauranga local is on cloud nine after winning the $9.85 million Lotto Powerball prize following Saturday's draw.

The equivalent of an extra 240 poker machines are part of the SkyCity casino deal, with gambling opponents warning they could lead to new addiction problems.

The Government's pokies for convention centre deal cannot bind future governments to compensate SkyCity if the deal is revoked, leading constitutional lawyer Stephen Franks says.

While SkyCity this month got the nod for its controversial $402 million Auckland convention centre, a Queenstown expansion proceeds almost entirely outside the spotlight.

New Zealanders are forecast to spend more on Lotto, casinos, racing and sports betting in the next three years.

SkyCity's rivals say its pokie machines will earn more if Auckland Council heeds calls for a regional sinking lid policy on gaming venues.

Some lucky person walked into a Florida supermarket over the past few days and bought a ticket worth an estimated $710m - the highest Powerball jackpot in history.

Dealing with the government is like dealing with no other business because the government can usually muster the numbers to make law, writes Mai Chen.