NSW government defends proposed poker machine and table game tax increase

Treasurer Matt Kean said the tax increase is “entirely appropriate.”

Australia.- The New South Wales (NSW) government has defended plans to increase the tax rate for casino poker machines to bring them in line with machines at pubs and clubs. The move is expected to come into effect from July and would see casino poker machines subject to a top tax rate of 60.67 per cent.

Treasurer Matt Kean said the tax increase was “entirely appropriate” and would generate AUS$364m (US$244.2m) for disaster-stricken areas over the next three years.

“If casinos want to lose their social licence, if they want to turn a blind eye to things like money laundering then the NSW government thinks it’s not unreasonable to expect them to make a small contribution towards floods victims. That’s entirely appropriate,” Kean said at a press conference.

See also: NSW PM says he won’t be threatened by campaign against cashless gaming