REPORTS NORTHERN TERRITORY
Irish Capital owns the Lasseters Casino and is in the final stages of purchasing Casino Canberra in Australian Capital Territory. A request earlier this year submitted to the NT government by Iris
for a further 60 EGMs, to be installed in bars and other locations in Alice Springs, has been refused. Lasseters Casino
THE CASINOS Tere are two casinos in the Northern Territory.
Te Mindil Beach Casino and Resort located in Darwin which opened in 1979 and was the second casino at the time to open in Australia. Te licence will expire in 2031 with an extension option for a further five years. Te casino operates 41 table games and 676 slots and the casino is also licensed to operate NT Keno throughout the hotels and clubs in the territory.
Formerly known as SkyCity Darwin the five star resort is set in 30 acres of tropical gardens alongside the Arafura Sea. It was renamed in 2019 when Delaware North acquired the casino from SkyCity for $188m to add the property to its portfolio of resort properties operating across North America and Australia.
Te Lasseters Casino, meanwhile, opened in 1982 in Alice Springs with a licence expiration of 2031, although an application to extend can be made from 2026. Te casino operates 22 table games and 307 slots whilst Keno is run at the casino under licence from Mindil.
It is operated by Irish Capital, one of Australia’s largest privately owned property and hospitality groups with some 30 pubs and 20 hotels in Australia. Iris is also in the final stages of purchasing Casino Canberra in Australian Capital Territory.
Iris bought out the casino in 2021 from Lasseters International Holdings group for $105m. Te resort, which includes 205 rooms operated by Intercontinental Hotel Group, is due to undergo a $100m makeover which includes adding a further 230 rooms.
A request earlier this year submitted to the NT government by Iris for a further 60 EGMs to be installed in bars and other locations in Alice Springs, has been refused however.
Te company has been investing recently in Alice Springs after purchasing several hospitality properties in the city. Tis apparently follows a deal with the government to maintain a tax rate of 15 per cent on slot revenue until 2032.
But after public complaints, officials not only pulled the request, but have also placed a moratorium on its licensing procedure for any gaming machines in hotels and pubs across Alice Springs.
Te state has suspended its entire licensing programme for new slots and wants to re-evaluate its licensing process, meaning no new applications until possibly June next year. Casinos bring in around $92.4m in revenue (2019 data).
THE POKIES
Te moratorium is part of a government wide policy reform to help curb an increase in gambling related harm. A call for gambling reform in the territory has been introduced after reports stating the social cost of gambling in the NT rose to more than $190m per year.
Some recommendations include a return to coins only at slot venues and a credit limit of $100 for pokies instead of $1,000, reducing the number of pokies in pubs and clubs and the set up of more gambling support services and staff at venues. Te report was finalised last year.
EGMs were legalised in the Northern Territory in 2014 and approval for the operation of EGMs is applied for via the Director of Gaming Control and pokies can be located in licensed pubs, clubs, hotels and the two casinos.
In 2016, a territory wide cap on machines of 1,852 was introduced followed by a reduction in 2018 to 1,734 and then more recently in 2021 reducing the cap to 1,699. EGMs in the two casinos are not included in the cap limit.
Today, there are 46 hotels and 22 clubs operating
Te social cost of gambling in the NT rose to more than $190m per year, prompting recommendations that include a return to coins-only at slot venues and a credit limit of $100 for pokies instead of $1,000, reducing the number of pokies in pubs and clubs and the set up of more gambling support services. Social Gambling Reforms
P60 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
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