The TAB has doubled the minimum bet requirement for its phone betting service as operating costs increase.
The betting agency, run by the New Zealand Racing Board, now requires at least a $10 bet, instead of the $5 minimum that has been in place since 2007.
Racing Board spokesperson John Mitchell says the change is because operating costs have been going up.
Photo: RNZ
He says it has been six years since the minimum bet was last increased, from $2 to $5.
Mr Mitchell says the TAB is also consolidating resources to Wellington and Christchurch, after selling its Auckland property when it was deemed no longer fit for purpose.
He says some people have been offered redundancy packages and others will be offered work elsewhere.
Problem Gambling Foundation spokesperson Andree Froude says the new $10 minimum could cause problems for some gamblers.
She says it seems like a lot of money and can be enough to tip people over the scale to spending more than they can afford.
Ms Froude says the TAB needs to keep an eye out for people spending a lot of money, or displaying signs of getting into financial problems.
Mr Mitchell says some people are exempt from the new minimum, such as customers with disabilities who find mobility difficult.
