THE maximum number of gaming machines that can be operated in the ACT has been reduced to 4012 after clubs voluntarily surrendered or forfeited through trading 934 gaming machine authorisations.
The reduction of electronic gaming machine licences in the ACT to 4000 by 2020 is part of the parliamentary agreement Labor has with the Greens.
“If the number of authorisations does not reduce through trading to 4000 by the end of February, steps will be put in place for the first stage of compulsory surrender to occur on April 1,” Attorney-General Gordon Ramsay says.
“This stage will apply to clubs that did not meet their indicative surrender obligation through the voluntary surrender process.”
The Southern Cross Yacht Club chose to go pokie free as a part of the voluntary surrender process and is receiving extra benefits from the government for doing so, he says.
Clubs were provided with the option to voluntarily surrender authorisations in exchange for access to offsets for land-related payments, fees and charges, including deconcessionalisation and lease variation charges.
Small and medium clubs could instead choose to receive $12,000 cash for every gaming machine authorisation voluntarily surrendered.
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