Australian gaming restrictions face changes
Australian anti-gaming politician Nick Xenophon changes his proposal addressing slot machines.
Australia.- The gaming industry in South Australian state could face changes after the election, as anti-gambling activist Nick Xenophon’s SA Best party is set to win a number of lower house seats. Xenophon has announced that he’ll deliver a major anti-pokies policy next year targeting the Australian Hotels Association (ASA).
Xenophon’s first legislation was initially a total ban on any slot machine operations in the region, but yesterday the politician and his party introduced a new proposal pushing for a reduction of gaming machines operations in South Australian state, rather than banning the activity altogether.
SA Best’s policy platform for the upcoming elections in March includes legislative gaming proposals to reduce operations in the region. “I suggest to you that if SA Best is in a position of power to hold the next government to account, then both Labor and the Liberals will become born-again gambling reformers in a very short amount of time,” Xenophon stated.
The new proposals suggest a reduction in the number of poker machines in hotels and clubs from around 12,100 to 8,100 by 2023 and introduce a system of AUS$1 maximum bets per spin. Meanwhile, the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) has already rolled out an advertising campaign to get South Australians to back anyone but Xenophon.
