The amendments, drawn up by the Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LGA), will change in classification of VLTs from amusement to gambling machines, impose age limits on their use and ratify on-line monitoring of the machines.
They will also ensure VLTs are giving the payout ratios as stipulated by law (currently 80 per cent) and allow the authorities to “plug into” the digital machines with a special USB key, of which only the LGA will have a copy, to assess gross earnings and payout ratios by viewing the machines' histories.