Gaming trusts are one of the most important and accessible sources of grant funding for New Zealand community organisations. Funded by the profits of gaming machines (pokies) in venues across New Zealand, gaming trusts distribute hundreds of millions of dollars annually to sports clubs, community groups, arts organisations, and social services. Understanding how gaming trusts work and how to access their grants is essential knowledge for New Zealand community organisations.
Gaming machines in New Zealand pubs and clubs operate under licences that require a significant portion of profits to be returned to the community through authorised gaming trusts. This "community purpose" obligation is central to the gaming machine licensing regime.
Gaming trusts are non-profit organisations that:
1. Hold the gaming machine licence for venues they're associated with
2. Collect the community purpose proceeds from those venues
3. Distribute grants to eligible community organisations
The gaming trust sector is regulated by the Department of Internal Affairs under the Gambling Act 2003. Trusts must return a minimum proportion of gaming proceeds to the community, and must not allow gaming venue operators to benefit from trust grants.
Lion Foundation
The Lion Foundation is New Zealand's largest gaming trust — distributing approximately $70 million annually. It operates across most of New Zealand and funds sport, recreation, community, arts, and health organisations. The Lion Foundation has a straightforward online application process and relatively quick decision cycles.
Pub Charity Limited
Pub Charity is another major gaming trust, distributing around $50 million annually. It funds similar categories to the Lion Foundation — sports clubs, community organisations, arts, and social services.
Four Winds Foundation
Four Winds Foundation distributes approximately $30 million annually to community organisations across New Zealand.
Infinity Foundation
Infinity Foundation operates primarily in Auckland and distributes to sporting and community organisations.
Other gaming trusts
Other gaming trusts include: Breadline Trust, Creative Communities (which focuses on arts), Lotto NZ-funded trusts, and smaller regional and venue-specific trusts. The DIA maintains a register of authorised gaming trusts.
Gaming trust grants are available to non-profit community organisations that provide benefit to the community. This includes:
- Incorporated societies
- Charitable trusts
- Registered charities
- School boards (for some purposes)
- Local authority bodies (for some purposes)
For-profit businesses and individuals cannot receive gaming trust grants.
Community benefit requirement
Gaming trust grants must produce community benefit — they cannot benefit individuals or private interests. A sports club buying equipment that its members use for community sport is clearly eligible; a club buying equipment for private benefit would not be.
Gaming trusts have broad funding mandates — sport and recreation, arts and culture, community services, health, and more. What can't be funded:
Most gaming trusts fund:
- Sports equipment, uniforms, and gear
- Community facility improvements
- Event and tournament costs
- Operational costs for community services
- Transport and travel for community activities
- Arts and cultural events and activities
Online applications
All major gaming trusts accept online applications through their own portals. Applications typically require:
- Organisation details and registration information
- Description of the project or activity being funded
- Total cost of the project
- Amount requested
- Budget breakdown
- Recent financial statements
Grant amount
Gaming trust grants are typically in the range of $2,000-$50,000 for community organisations. Larger grants require more documentation and take longer to process.
Decision timeframes
Most gaming trusts process applications within 4-8 weeks. Some have specific meeting cycles (monthly or quarterly); others assess continuously.
Acquittal requirements
After receiving a gaming trust grant, organisations must complete an acquittal — demonstrating that the funds were spent as stated in the application, and that the community purpose was achieved.
Apply to multiple trusts
If your project is eligible for multiple gaming trusts, apply to more than one. Many community organisations regularly access Lion Foundation AND Pub Charity AND Four Winds for different projects or in different years.
Be specific
Gaming trust applications that describe specific activities and costs are more successful than vague proposals. "We will purchase 20 hockey sticks at $120 each = $2,400, enabling 40 junior players to participate in the 2026 winter season" is better than "we want to improve our hockey programme".
Match your project to the trust's focus
While most gaming trusts have broad mandates, some have specific priorities. Review each trust's guidelines and recent grant lists to understand their preferences.
Complete acquittals promptly
A reputation for timely, thorough acquittals makes future grant applications more successful. Gaming trusts share information about applicant history; organisations that fail to acquit find future applications declined.
Tahua's grants management platform helps New Zealand community organisations manage gaming trust applications, track grant obligations, and complete acquittals — simplifying the administrative work of accessing this important funding source.