A new advisory panel is to be established in to oversee the future operations of the Canberra Casino.
Announced by the Attorney-General, Gordon Ramsay, the panel is to be required under a new law introduced into the Legislative Assembly.
Mr Ramsay said that when it was operating the panel would provide an unprecedented level of transparency and independence in relation to the regulation of casino gaming in the ACT.
“The panel will ensure decision making about the ownership and gaming operations of the casino is independently and expertly informed,” Mr Ramsay said.
“It will advise the Government on whether approval of any proposal to transfer ownership or operations of the Canberra Casino is in the public interest,” he said.
“It will also advise on any future application to operate electronic gaming machines or fully automated table games.”
He said the Government had made it clear that the owner of Canberra Casino would only be permitted to operate a maximum of 200 gaming machines and 60 fully-automated table games if it undertook a substantial redevelopment of the casino and its precinct.
“The panel’s oversight will be in addition to the role of the Gambling and Racing Commission, which will also provide advice to Government about regulatory compliance,” Mr Ramsay said.
He said he had a strong commitment to harm minimisation and was working to reduce the impact of problem gambling in the community.
“We will also reduce the number of gaming machine authorisations by a fifth to 4,000 by 2020,” the Attorney-General said.
