Australia: Casinos demand reform to bring in high rollers

The casinos would like to cash in on an estimated 30 million Chinese premium gamblers. They argue they are investing $4.6 billion on upgraded and new facilities - including $250 million on Adelaide Casino.

According to figures provided by the industry, 1.1 million international tourists visited Australian casinos in 2007-08, spending $4.9 billion while holidaying in Australia, with international high rollers splashing an additional $739 million.

A record 558,600 Chinese visited Australia over the past 12 months, a 17 per cent increase, and the market was worth more than $3.8 billion in 2011, up 15 per cent on the previous year.

In a submission to the Federal Government's Asian Century review, the casinos make a claim for:

-    Multi-visit visas and longer term visas for Chinese tourists.

-    "Clear and transparent" decisions by Immigration in visa applications for Chinese tourists.

-    More Australian consulates opened in China's major cities.

-    Online visa application accessible for Chinese visitors.

-    A user-pays faster immigration and customs processing service at airports.

The casinos also call for an increase in direct flights from China to Australia, and more Australians learning Asian languages. But a spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said the Government was already providing "streamlined processing arrangements for high rollers".

"Wherever possible, the Immigration Department offers streamlined processing to low-risk clients, including some independent travellers and also group travellers from China through a special scheme arranged with the People's Republic," she said. "More than two-thirds of visas granted to gaming visitors from mainland China are valid for 12 months," she added.