Yeah....it has been said before - by much better brains than that possessed by moi - that punters' losses are what drives the wheel. Without an increase in what punters are prepared to lose, there will be no improvement in revenue, other than what can be snagged from the taxpayer and increased levies on betting.
How the closure of Reefton, Stratford, Gisborne[ or Wairoa ] , Riverton, Kurow, Timaru...etc, etc... is going to suddenly increase the spend of the Kiwi punter is beyond me.....and as well, the pissed-off locals and holiday-makers are not likely to sojourn to Riccarton or Hastings or Dunedin.