A community group intends to take legal action to stop a planned 30 machine pokie venue being created in Tokoroa.
The venue will add to the 133 machines already in Tokoroa drawing anger from the locals who say any extra will cause serious harm in the community.
Community group spokesman Colin Bridle says the reality is that Tokoroa is already a high deprovation community.
"Forty-nine point six per cent of the population live on less than $20,000 a year, so it's going to have a huge impact." Mr Bridle told TVNZ1's Breakfast today.
"It's unfortunate and actually ridiculous that we have to take the government to court because the South Waikato District Council and Department of Internal Affairs have not stuck to the gambling act law under the 2003 act."
Mr Bridle says, "In a small community with a high concentration of machines that are there already ... it's increasing the harm of our community."
"We're pleading with the Minister to please stop this 30 pokie venue," he says.
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