航天城正着眼于开发新西兰博彩市场，他们与当地政府的谈判正在进行中，政府坚持认为赌场造成更多的问题赌博，赌场则反驳说大多数赌客在航天城赌博是在休闲娱乐。
这个问题已经成为政府是否延长航天城博彩牌照的争议焦点，航天城希望在奥克兰筹建一座新的会展中心作为谈判的一部分也变得复杂起来，讨论有时会演变为争执，一些人相信扩展博彩会给国家带来灾难。
“百分之四十的收入是来自问题赌徒在赌博机上的花费” 新西兰问题赌博基金会的负责人Graeme Ramsey表示“如果是这样的生意，那么坦率的说，我认为以‘问题博彩对我们的生意也没有好处’来开脱的说法是值得质疑的，这个生意本身就是依靠问题赌徒来盈利的”
上面这段话是Ramsey回应航天城首席执行官Nigel Morrison所发表的言论，这位博彩公司的执行官相信航天城在把问题博彩控制在最低限度方面成效显着，而且去玩那些机器的人都是正常人，并不是问题赌徒。“我们有你所见过的最严格缜密的方式来把控制问题赌博的产生”
新西兰总理John Key是允许航天城进行扩张的，但他在洽谈中强调赌场必须要更多的控制问题赌博。Key也认识到允许范围内小幅度的扩张博彩对国家财政的好处，税收会因为安装更多的博彩机器而增长。
Morrison本周详述了新西兰与问题赌博有关的比例，根据Morrison的数字，0.7%的家庭是因为赌场而出现问题赌博，而对比之下有0.9%的家庭因为彩票而出现问题赌博。
译文：
Disagreement Over Problem Gambling In SkyCity Casino Negotiations
SkyCity is looking to expand their gambling presence in New Zealand. Talks have been ongoing between the government and SkyCity, with the government insisting that the casino do more to address problem gambling. The casinos has shot back by claiming the majority of gamblers at SkyCity are recreational bettors.
The issue has become controversial as the government decides whether or not to extend the gaming license of SkyCity. Part of the negotiations have become complicated with SkyCity prepared fund a new convention center in Auckland. At times, the debates have become contentious, and some believe adding more gaming in the country is a recipe for disaster.
”Forty percent of the revenue that comes through those machines comes from people with problems,” said Graeme Ramsey, the Head of the Problem Gambling Foundation in New Zealand.
”When you’ve got that kind of product, then I think the kind of comments which say problem gambling is not good for our business need to be questioned, because quite frankly, the business is based on people who have problems.”
Ramsey was responding to comments made by SkyCity Chief Executive Nigel Morrison. The gaming executive believes that SkyCity does a good job of keeping problem gambling to a minimum and that gamblers who play the machines in the casino are just everyday people.
”We have the most disciplined approach to harm minimisation of any property that you’ll ever come across.”
Prime Minister John Key is open to the idea of allowing SkyCity to expand, but he has stressed in negotiations that more will have to be done by the casino to curb problem gambling. Key also noted that minimal expansion could be good for the country financially, as tax revenue would increase with more gaming machines installed.
Morrison went into detail this week on the percentages relating to problem gambling in New Zealand. According to Morrison’s figures, 0.7% of households deal with problem gambling due to casinos. Morrison drew a comparison to the 0.9% of households with problem gambling issues due to the lottery.