TV Works fails in High Court appeal

high-court-judgesMany moons ago New Zealanders tried to get rid of bookmakers’ altogether and rid their country of that so horrible of social evils. Fast-forward 100 years and there’s still plenty of people in the country who are opposed to certain types of gambling enough that fines will be passed down.

Frownlines SmileLines already saw the hot water you could land yourself in if found to be advertising gambling on your site. A TV company has now failed in its appeal against a ruling that had punished them for advertising a poker tournament on two of their channels.

TV Works, owners of TV3 and C4, lost their appeal at the High Court after Justice Ron Young ruled that the Asia Pacific Poker Tour was defined as gambling under the Gambling Act 2003. TV Works had argued that contestants taking part were simply playing for a prize and not gambling. You’ve got to hand it to TV Works though – they’re backing the poker as skill camp all the way to the hilt.

The Department of Internal Affairs were happy at the ruling, but Justice Young did reserve some sympathy for TV Works. He explained it was because the “legislation was far from clear and it had genuinely believed it was acting lawfully.”

The case is now referred back to the District Court who will decide if any punishment should be handed down. How about making them all get Maori tattoos on their faces. That ought to teach them!