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The Northern Territory government will permit additional gaming machines to be installed in Alice Springs' pubs and clubs while announcing a modest lowering of the cap on pokies in the NT.
Key points:
- The cap on gaming machines in community venues in the NT has been lowered to 1,659
- Applications for 20 additional pokies at two of Iris Capital's Alice Springs venues "remain in train"
- The government last year announced a nine-month moratorium in response to a community backlash
There had been widespread community backlash since hospitality giant Iris Capital put in applications for 60 additional machines in its Alice Springs businesses last year, leading the NT government to order a moratorium on approving new pokies for the town's community venues.
On Tuesday, the NT government lowered the cap to 1,659, down from 1699, bringing an end to the nine-month moratorium.
It means 20 additional licences can still be granted under the new cap.
Iris Capital has now withdrawn applications for 40 machines across two of its venues, according to the government, but applications for 20 additional machines at the Todd Tavern and Gap View Hotel "remain in train".
Government 'aware' of problem gambling
Speaking to ABC Radio Alice Springs, Gaming Minister Chansey Paech said the government was aware of the significant harms caused by problem gambling.
"The government heard loudly and clearly the community sentiment around the community wanting no new machines in new venues," he said.
"There will certainly be, under a Territory Labor government, less and less, not more and more, pokies across the Territory."
The announcement marks the third reduction to the cap since Labor returned to power in the Northern Territory in 2016.
Mr Paech, who is also the NT Attorney-General, said there was a legal obligation to assess the existing applications against laws that were in place at the time they were submitted.
The Territory's two casinos operate under separate agreements with the government and are not subject to a cap.
Decision 'a win for community'
Campaign group No New Pokies Mparntwe described the announcement, which will see Uncles Tavern and the Mercure Resort remain free of pokies, as a "significant win in a battle against new pokies".
"It is a win for everyone who loves to go to Uncles and sit out the front in the sun or get on the mic on a Friday night," said Emma Buckley Lennox, a member of the campaign group.
"It’s a win for the families who love to take their kids to the Barra on Todd for a feed and a dip."
However, Ms Buckley Lennox expressed disappointment over the Gaming Minister's decision not to reduce the cap further.
"The NT Government could have stopped new pokies in their tracks by reducing the cap by another 20 machines, to 1,639," she said.
"The only reason they did not do this is to appease Iris Capital, a multi-billion-dollar interstate company.
"This is disappointing given we know more than 98 per cent of locals and tourists surveyed by our group do not want more pokies in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), in any venues."
Iris Capital, the largest private employer in the town, has been contacted for comment.
Since purchasing Lasseters Casino in Alice Springs in 2021, Iris Capital has added almost 150 pokies to the venue, bringing the total number of machines to 400.
The NT government also announced casinos will soon be subject to a new code of practice that "prioritises harm minimisation" and provides direction to "ensure regulations of the Gaming Control Act are met".
Mr Paech said the government is continuing to promote responsible gambling and fund research and community-based support services.