Page 4948 - Week 13 - Thursday, 2 November 2017
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The bill contributes to the government’s broader agenda to reduce gambling harm as a core component of the casino accessing electronic gaming products. The harm minimisation measures include that the casino licensee must undertake a social impact assessment that outlines the social and economic implications of the new electronic gaming products. Findings of the social impact assessment will determine the number of gaming machines and fully automated game terminals that can be operated up to a maximum of 200 gaming machines and 60 fully automated table game terminals. The Gambling and Racing Commission must be satisfied there are sufficient harm minimisation measures in place taking into account the social impact assessment findings.
The casino will be required to forfeit one in three authorisations acquired from clubs and hotels, which will contribute to the significant reduction in the overall number of electronic gaming machine authorisations in the territory. The casino will only be able to operate gaming machines and fully automated table gaming terminals that they are able to connect to a central monitoring system and are capable of supporting other prescribed harm minimisation measures.
The casino gaming machines must provide for mandatory precommitment to a net loss limit and a voluntary precommitment to a time limit. A maximum bet limit will apply to casino gaming machines, which can be reduced by regulation. This limit was subject to review by an expert panel incorporating community engagement from the your say web portal and has helped inform the government in determining the final bet limit figure for this legislation.
Combined, these measures represent one of the toughest harm minimisation frameworks for electronic gaming at a casino in Australia. The harm minimisation benefits alone, however, are not enough in the eyes of the government or the broader Canberra community to enable the casino licensee to operate a broad range of gaming products.
As the shadow minister for racing and gaming, Mr Parton, put it when he was not under the mind control of the Liberal Party:
You think about the Melbourne couple who are holidaying in Canberra. They decide to go to [the] casino for a Friday night. He wants to play the tables, she is going to have a go on the pokies. They don’t get it once they get there and for some reason there are not machines.
We should have poker machines at Casino Canberra. Unfortunately, I can’t see them winning this fight.
No, not when you completely backflip on positions that you have taken previously. The opportunity is here now. Whilst this bill is proponent neutral, it does allow for the government to consider proposals from the casino licensee where there is a broader benefit to the community. The current licensee may choose not to take up the option outlined in this legislation of up to 200 gaming machines and 60 fully automated game terminals. However, it will remain open to the current licensee in future or future licensees to consider the option subject to an approved development proceeding.
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