The *Canberra Times* publication states that the quantity of gaming machines within the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is progressively decreasing, but the ACT administration stresses that a careful strategy is necessary to reach its objectives.
As part of a shared power arrangement between the Labor and Green parties, the administration aims to diminish the overall number of slot machines in Canberra clubs to 3,500 by 2024. Presently, there are 3,611 electronic gaming devices operating in Canberra, although the authorized number is 3,863.
The government was forced to modify its gaming machine reduction plan after COVID-19 closures deprived clubs of a substantial income source.
Minister of Gaming Shane Rattenbury stated that achieving the 3,500 objective for slot machines in the coming years would necessitate meticulous policy actions. The government is also contemplating possibilities for certain clubs to become entirely gaming machine-free.
“Undoubtedly, COVID has had a financial effect on clubs, as they are part of the hospitality industry, and we’ve witnessed this sector being one of the most severely impacted during the COVID period,” Rattenbury remarked.
“Therefore, clubs have performed admirably throughout COVID, but it has affected them, and I believe that’s an element the government must consider as we evaluate these transition plans.”
This development coincides with the ACT government’s industry diversification fund’s upcoming round of grants.
This financial resource, established in 2019, receives contributions from individual establishments. Each establishment contributes 20 Australian dollars (approximately 14 US dollars) monthly for their initial 99 gaming machines. These establishments can then utilize this resource to bolster initiatives that assist them in generating revenue from alternative avenues and reducing their dependence on said machines.
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