Slots to Show Pop-up Messages Slot machines owned by Sky City Entertainment Group Ltd., New Zealand's largest gambling company, and other companies will be required to show pop-up messages telling consumers how much they've won or lost.
The messages, which will also remind gamblers how long they've been playing on a slot machine, will interrupt play for 15 seconds, according to a statement from the Department of Internal Affairs, e-mailed to Bloomberg. The warnings will pop up at intervals of as much as 30 minutes, it said. New Zealand's government is increasing curbs on gambling because it says 2.5 percent of the population are problem gamblers who contribute to about NZ$2 billion ($1.4 billion) in annual gaming losses. Auckland-based Sky City reported on Aug. 22 that second-half earnings growth stalled because of government curbs on smoking and gaming.
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