Reports TASMANIA - MARKET REPORT


Devil in the detail Tasmania


Since the early 1970s, the family- run, Federal Group, has monopolised gambling in Tasmania, but after 50 years the landscape is changing.


Pokies and keno are being released to independent operators, and the state is introducing Australia’s first pre-commitment cashless gaming cards.


Last year, legislation was passed in Tasmania that brought to an end to the Federal Group’s monopoly on gaming in the state of Tasmania, which had included pokies, state-run keno and two casinos. Te controversial pokie law allowed venues to own or lease their own pokie machines from July 2022, as the government wants to “facilitate a more sustainable gaming industry that offers freedom of choice, supports industry certainty and jobs and provides appropriate player protections.”


Te government says “the returns from gaming will be shared appropriately among the gaming industry, players, and the government representing the community.


Gaming operators in hotels and clubs will have more responsibilities, but will receive a greater share of the returns.”


P114 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS


Te fascinating story of Tasmania’s gambling monopoly dates back to the 1960s. Te Federal Group arrived in Tasmania in 1968 just as the state was considering the idea of the first legal casino in Australia.


Federal’s Greg Farrell Senior ran a campaign that assured residents a casino would bring high rollers into the state and put Tasmania on the tourism map.


Tasmania at the time was struggling. Te public sector debt had risen in 20 years from $85m to $535m – the greatest per capita debt in the country. Te casino project required no capital investment from the state and promised to supply taxes and bring in revenue.


Labor backed the scheme, but elections the following year resulted in a hung parliament with


Kevin Lyons’ Centre Party holding the balance of power. Lyons eventually agreed to form a coalition government with the Liberals and was appointed Deputy Premier.


However, in 1972 Lyons quit parliament triggering a new election. Lyons was apparently offered a huge amount of money by Federal Hotels and British Tobacco as an advance for a book he never wrote. He did complete the setting up a PR company and his first client was... Federal Hotels.


Te election was won by the Liberals and eventually this outcome not only led to the introduction of pokies within casinos, but eventually brought them into the pub and hotel sector too.


Te Federal Group has successfully lobbied to


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162