16 Nov 2012

No special visa deals for gamblers - Govt

11:28 am on 16 November 2012

The Government says no special visa arrangements exist for overseas gamblers at Sky City casinos.

New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters on Thursday claimed Sky City has a special deal with the Immigration Service to fast-track high-worth customers in a deal similar to that reached with China Southern Airlines.

Immigration Minister Nathan Guy says neither he nor the Immigration Service have spoken with Sky City about the airline deal or any special treatment for Sky City customers.

Winston Peters told Parliament that Sky City had been pushing for a special deal similar to an agreement reached with China Southern Airlines for years.

In a statement on Friday, Sky City said it had no involvement in the deal between the Government and the airline.

It said that as a major tourism operator it is focused on attracting Chinese tourists to New Zealand, but that does not include any special immigration deals.