Problem for NSW after July 2007?

Gambling up $100m after smoking ban

Author: Dowling, Jason

Source: The Age

Published Date: Feb 20, 2005

Victorians pumped an extra $100 million through the state's poker machines in the second half of 2004, signaling a recovery by the gaming industry from the 2002 introduction of smoking bans.

The State Government has also confirmed that the Department of Human Services investigated several gaming machine operators at the end of last year for breaches of the new regulations.

It is believed some venues were designating sections of their gaming rooms as non-smoking rather than making the entire area non-smoking.

A departmental spokesman confirmed DHS officers had on at least a dozen occasions visited gaming venues last year with council officers to "clarify" the smoking bans.

Venues identified in the crackdown have now fully complied, a Government spokeswoman said.

She said the Government was not surprised gaming revenue had increased, saying it had expected the bans would cause only a temporary decline in poker machine use.

The spokeswoman said the Federal Government's $600 lump-sum family payment last year had also contributed to the spike in gaming revenue.

According to figures from the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation, gaming revenue in Victoria from July to December 2004 was about $1.22 billion on poker machines, compared with $1.12 billion for the six months from January to June.

Gaming for the last six months of 2004 was also $65 million up on the corresponding period in 2003, with increases in gaming in every month.

The State Government expects to collect $1.39 billion in gambling taxes in the 2004-05 financial year, including more than $800 million from poker machine taxes.

In November, Tabcorp chief executive Matthew Slatter said refurbishment of at least 46 venues and 3727 new machines and games had ameliorated the impact of the bans.

John Dalziel, spokesman for the Victorian InterChurch Gambling Taskforce, criticized the methods used by the gaming industry to recover from the slump caused by the smoking ban.

"It is high time we look at the way in which this has occurred, which all too often is the circumvention of the smoking ban by providing opportunity for smokers to continue using their machines without interruption," he said.

He said these tactics included setting up smoking rooms close to gaming rooms, and allowing gamblers to reserve "lucky" machines.

Mr Dalziel said the extra money channeled to the State Government's Community Support Fund through gaming taxes should be used urgently to assist problem gamblers. He said only 28 per cent of the fund was spent on helping gamblers.

Mr Dalziel also lashed out at the Government's new Responsible Gambling Ministerial Advisory Council, which replaced the old Problem Gambling Round Table, arguing it would not solve the problem.

"All this council is going to be is the round table revisited, and the round table was a dismal failure," he said.

Mr Dalziel, who is a member of the new council, said the Government was trying to persuade the community it was doing something about problem gambling while it was really "doing as little as possible".

He said it was time the Government stopped researching problem gambling and started doing something about it.

Opposition Leader Robert Doyle agreed that problem gambling needed urgent attention.

"Our policy is to reduce the number of gaming machines by 5000. I would call on the Government to match that," he said.

Smoking banned in NSW pubs from 2007

Smoking bans would be phased in, with most pubs and clubs restricting smoking to a single room from July 1, 2005, with progressive restrictions coming into effect over the following two years. Adding detail to the announcement, the Minister Assisting the Minister for Health on Cancer, Frank Sartor, said outdoor areas and beer gardens would remain exempt from the bans.

Private function rooms, wedding reception centers and private gaming rooms at Sydney's Star City casino would also be exempt, he said.

From July this year dance floors, auditoriums, toilets and foyers will be designated smoke-free, with smoking only allowed in 50 percent of the establishment.

By July 2006 that space will be reduced to 25 percent, and by July 2007 phased out altogether.

Source: www.news.ninemsn.com.au—Oct. 12 2004

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