Australia’s NT to up pokies machine cap from Jan.

Pubs and clubs in Australia’s Northern Territories will be able to increase the number of electronic gaming machines, or pokies, from January, after the state government raised the cap late Friday.

Under the changes, clubs will be able to house a maximum of 55 machines — up from 45 — and pubs can house up to 20 machines from the previous maximum of 10.

Territory gamblers pumped $60 million into the machines in the 2012-13 financial year.

"It was an arbitrary cap; they counted up the number of machines and said that's it," NT Gaming Minister Peter Styles said, referring to the limits set by the Labor government.

"What they haven't taken into account is that we've had substantial increase in our population, there are numerous new entertainment facilities across the Territory, and these people want a level playing field... and an entitlement to have a certain number of machines in entertainment areas."

The decision was met with criticism from anti-gambling groups, which said the rise would increase social problems.

 

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