Canberra Casino okayed for multi-terminal table games

The previous rules only allowed for the Aquis-owned casino to host rapid roulette as a semi-automated game, with the rest played only as table games.

Under the extension, the number of Canberra Casino’s number of terminals will more than double from the 22 terminals previously used for rapid roulette to 50 for the multi-terminal games, according to the news outlet. The casino is required to have a dealer “present at all times” to man the terminals.

The extension comes as the Canberra Casino, which Aquis bought in 2014, is about to undergo a US$ 330 million revamp that will include VIP and mass gaming facilities in addition to hotel and non-gaming facilities. As part of the casino overhaul, the operator also sought to acquire poker machines through a trading scheme that currently exists among the local clubs that have the machines. Canberra Casino is the only casino in Australia without a poker machine, but that’s about to change after the ACT government announced back in May that it will offer the casino access to 200 poker machines—lower than Aquis Entertainment’s requested 500 machines.

The offer, however, hinges on the condition that the casino would have to buy existing machines from local clubs, which has been actively opposing Canberra Casino’s bid to operate pokies. Gwyn Rees, CEO of Clubs ACT, stressed the community will not benefit from the casino’s machine revenues, telling abc.net.au: “If the casino wants to make their money back… they will need to supercharge their returns and profits, this will mean going aggressively after the local market. This is not money returned to the community… but to a foreign owner.” The casino reopened its doors last week after a US$10.4 million refurbishment aimed at international gamblers.