Australia’s Northern Territory suspends applications for Alice Springs pokie licences

The government received almost 700 submissions from residents opposing new licences.

Australia.- Gaming machine licences from hotels, pubs and casinos in Alice Springs have been suspended for nine months after Australia’s Northern Territory received almost 700 submissions from residents calling for the director of gaming machines to refuse the applications.

Chansey Paech, Australia’s Northern Territory gaming minister, said the government would use the pause to strengthen the licence application process.

Iris Capital, the company that acquired Casino Canberra in July, had submitted applications to install 60 new pokies in pubs and hotels. It will now have to wait until June 2023 to find out if it can proceed with its plans.

In May, Iris Capital added 132 new pokies to its Lasseters Casino in Alice Springs after acquiring it from Quilter Assets for AU$105m. The government said the casino will not be impacted by the pause as it has a separate agreement with authorities.

According to local media, the Northern Territory has nearly one machine for every 94 residents. Only New South Wales surpasses that rate, with one machine for every 88 people.

Australia’s Northern Territory plans to regulate crypto gambling

The Northern Territory Racing Commission (NTRC) is analysing the possibility of regulating crypto gambling. According to local media reports, NTRC is seeking public input in a consultation on the use of cryptocurrencies as a payment method for gambling. The consultation is open until September 29.

The NTRC has recommended monthly crypto deposit limits of AU$2,000 (US$1,300), with a maximum wager of AU$5,000 (US$3,500) per month. It urged caution on the adoption of cryptocurrencies and argued that consumer protection needs to be strengthened by a better understanding of their volatility.