The Canberra Times published an article stating that the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) administration is proceeding cautiously with plans to diminish the quantity of slot machines, despite their ongoing numerical decrease.
Presently, Canberra houses 3,611 operational electronic gaming devices, out of a total allowance of 3,863. The administration’s objective, established through the Labor-Greens collaborative agreement, aims to lower the number of machines within community organizations to 3,500 by 2024. Nevertheless, the financial repercussions of COVID-19 lockdowns on club earnings necessitate a strategic adjustment from the government.
Minister Shane Rattenbury, responsible for Gaming, recognizes that achieving the 3,500 target in the approaching years demands meticulous policy choices. He indicates that the government is investigating avenues to assist certain clubs in shifting their dependence away from slot machine income.
“Undoubtedly, COVID has exerted an economic effect on clubs, belonging to the hospitality industry, a sector demonstrably among the most severely affected,” Rattenbury affirms.
He stresses that while clubs have displayed resilience throughout the pandemic, the government must factor in the impact of COVID-19 when executing transition strategies. This declaration coincides with the ACT government’s preparations for the subsequent allocation of resources from its industry diversification fund.
This financial resource, established in 2019, receives funding from organizations that donate approximately $14 monthly for every one of their initial 99 gaming devices. These organizations can subsequently request financial aid to bolster initiatives intended to broaden their earnings and decrease dependence on gaming device income.
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