NSW: NSW reducing its reliance on pokie revenue: Carr
SYDNEY, Dec 4 AAP - Despite record numbers of poker machines and a $720 million taxwindfall, NSW Premier Bob Carr says the state is reducing its reliance on gaming taxes.
The Department of Gaming and Racing's annual report showed the government collected$720 million in poker machine tax in 2001/02, and a record number of more than 101,000machines across the state.
But Mr Carr said gaming revenue had been driven down by government reforms, which hadset a cap on poker machines.
"We've been reducing our dependence on gaming taxes while other states are increasingtheir reliance," Mr Carr told reporters today.
"Our gaming revenues as a proportion of total revenue is nine per cent in this state.
"That compares with 15 per cent in Victoria, 12.3 per cent in Queensland, 13.3 percent in in South Australia, and 11 per cent in Tasmania.
"Gaming revenue as a proportion of the state budget has been driven down by our reforms."
Mr Carr said the government's poker machine tax revenue in 2001/2002 was also lowerthan the previous year.
But a government spokesman said the effect of the GST meant the two figures could notbe directly compared.
Mr Carr said the government's reforms would eventually drive machine numbers down.
"In our gaming reform package, we introduced a cap of 104,000 machines," he said.
"We said at the time that the number of machines would rise to that total because theapplications entitled to had not yet taken up.
"That figure will fall in time as poker machine licences begin to be traded.
"The new law means for every three machines traded only two licences are issued.
"As that measure cuts in, you'll see the number of poker machines fall below that cap."
AAP kp/arb/las/bwl
KEYWORD: POKIES
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