Director of Gaming approves 10 new pokies each at Alice Springs’ Todd Tavern and Gap View Hotel

The number of pokies at two iconic Alice Springs pubs will double after the Director of Gaming approved an application for new machines despite hundreds of submissions opposing the plan.

The NT’s gambling tsar has approved applications to double the number of pokies at the Todd Tavern and Gap View Hotel despite a majority of submissions opposing any new machines in Alice Springs.

Director of Gaming Machines Philip Timney approved the application by Iris Capital for the

10 new machines for the Gap View Hotel on Wednesday, a week after approving another increase for 10 new machines at the Todd Tavern.

The decisions double the total ammount of pokies at each venue to 20 each.

In both decisions, the Mr Timney considered a community impact analysis prepared by DNS Specialist Services, which stated in both applications it was “not anticipated that a favourable outcome for this application would incur a higher risk of problem gambling within the Alice Springs local area.”

More than 485 submissions were received in response to the application, with most being opposed to new pokies in Alice Springs. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The analysis also found the approval of the machines at both venues would “provide diverse entertainment options, which would enhance the opportunity for creating investment in the overall premises”.

There were 485 submissions received in response to the publication of the Todd Tavern application and 482 submissions received in response to the Gap View Hotel decision, of which 415 were in the form of template letter submissions and 12 were from organisations.

The decision states the 415 template submissions opposed all four gaming machine applications made by Iris Capital for a total of 60 new gaming machines at the Mercure Alice Springs Resort, Uncles Tavern, the Gap View Hotel and the Todd Tavern.

Concerns raised included potential negative impacts of pokies on the community, a potential negative impact on tourism, a lack of population to support more gaming machines and the potential for increase in problem gambling and anti-social behaviour.

However, in his considerations for the Todd Tavern, Mr Timney said most of the submissions related to the applications as a whole “without providing any specific detail of prospective harms or potential adverse community outcomes directly related to this application for Todd Tavern premises.”

The decisions mean a doubling of pokies at both venues.

In both applications Mr Timney stated: “Despite the majority of people lodging submissions opposing the application, the question for the director is not whether there should be more gaming machine licences granted in Alice Springs.

“The question for the director in terms of this application is whether the applicant satisfies the statutory criteria to be issued with a licence authorising 10 additional gaming machines at the premises.

“In assessing the statutory criteria there is nothing before the director specific to the applicant or the premises that indicates that the additional gaming machines should not be approved.”

The Territory government lowered the cap on pokie machines earlier this month, with the new figure still allowing for 20 new pokies to be approved in the Northern Territory. Picture: Chris Pavlich.

The decision comes after the Territory Government lowered the cap on gaming machines in community venues from 1699 to 1659 earlier this month, although this still allowed for the 20 new machines to be approved.

It followed the end of a nine-month moratorium on new gaming machines in Alice Springs introduced by Racing, Gaming and Licensing Minister Chansey Paech last September.

The moratorium was issued in response to community concern after Iris Capital applied to add 20 machines each to the Mercure Resort and Uncles Tavern and 10 each to the Gap View Hotel and Todd Tavern.

Applications for the 40 machines at the Mercure and Uncles were withdrawn before the cap was lowered.