Australian poker machine venues are bemoaning proposed restrictions on play recommended in a Productivity Commission ("the Commission") report.
Back in October last year, the Commission had completed a report into a number of facets of the Australian gambling industry. The report recommended that the current (largely) prohibitive laws with regard to online gambling be relaxed and that the current liberal regulations with regard to terrestrial poker machines be tightened.
Not surprisingly, gaming machine operators have condemned the recommendations as unfair and likely to lead to considerable job losses at venues throughout the country. One of the recommendations causing particular concern is that per-bet limits should be decreased from the current $10 to $1. One club estimated that this change alone would cost them almost $8 million annually.
'We would need to make significant reductions to staffing levels, levels of commitment to junior sport in the area, mainly Junior Rugby League, and levels of entertainment that we provide' said a spokesperson for the club.
The NSW State Government is also strongly critical of the Commission's report claiming the proposed changes would have a significant impact on the viability of almost 200 venues across the state. Of course, being the benefactor of hundreds of millions of dollars in gaming taxes from these venues may also be a motivation for the Governments attitudes with regard to the matter.
Other changes suggested in the report included the increase of the mandatory closed time of venues to 6 hours and the removal of all automatic teller machines.
Subscribe to feed