SkyCity has been granted permission to add 500 new pokies to its Adelaide Casino in South Australia. The addition is part of the casino operator’s plans to expand the casino property, making it an ideal destination for high roller gamblers from Asia. The Casino Act 1997 was amended in order for the deal to take place.
Several concessions were made to give the casino operator what it wanted, and legislative amendments were required to make this happen. As part of the deal, SkyCity will have its exclusivity agreement extended for another 20 years. Only in 2035 will another casino be able to open up in the area – unless the agreement is renewed again at that time.
With the additional pokies, the deal is quite similar to SkyCity’s convention centre agreement in Auckland. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key granted the casino approval to add 240 new pokies and extended its gambling license for 20 more years. The deal has been protested by residents and politicians, but the same response has not been seen in South Australia.
In order to attract more high roller players, the casino operator will be building a six-star luxury hotel. As such, SkyCity will be entering the competition between Echo Entertainment and Crown Casinos to attract VIP players from Asia. “Luxury VIP facilities are vital to attracting high-end Asian, particularly Chinese tourists", says SkyCity Nigel Morrison.
"Our development will help South Australia attract a greater share of this lucrative and growing market." The deal also changes the way in which pokies are played at SkyCity Adelaide. Players will no longer have to spend cash in order to play pokies, as a ticket-in ticket-out system will be installed.
The cashless pokie is considered more convenient, but responsible gambling advocates are concerned that it could lead to an increase in problem gambling rates.
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