Plans for smoke-free buffer zones around poker machines have been dumped by the State Government.
In January, the Herald Sun revealed the Government planned to ban smoking in all gambling venues, including pokie outlets, the casino and bingo centres.
But last month, it mooted plans for a 2.5m no-smoking buffer zone around poker machines.
“The best way to proceed is to have the whole of what is defined as the ‘restricted gaming area’ as smoke-free,” Mr Thwaites said yesterday.
“For about 90 per cent of gaming venues, the whole room will be completely smoke-free, including the bar area in that room.”
Smoking will be banned at Crown casino except in bars set back from the gambling floor and high-roller areas.
Venues with single pokie rooms will continue to allow smoking around the bar only.
All licensed premises that have more than one room, including pubs and ccmhalloffame nightclubs, must set aside a permanent smoke-free area.
Mr Thwaites said the package of reforms will give Victoria the toughest anti-smoking laws in the country.
But a complete ban on smoking in pubs and clubs was not yet on the agenda.
“The public bar, I think, is still an area where there’s not full community support to be completely smoke free,” Mr Thwaites said.
“Over time, I think that will change. I think we’ll see more and more support for smoke-free.”
Australian Hotels Association chief executive Alan Giles said the ban unfairly aimed at punters who enjoyed a smoke while playing the pokies.
“We’re disappointed. We really think it’s giving in to the abolitionists for no reason at all,” Mr Giles said.
He said the smoking ban could cost hotel industry jobs if it triggered a fall in gaming business.
Mr Giles said there was no evidence to suggest smoking bans in gaming rooms would reduce the incidence of problem gambling.
The liquor and hospitality union said the plan would increase the risk to bar staff.
Union state secretary Brian Daley said smoke would be funnelled into specific areas, creating an even more dangerous environment for staff.
Smoking is already banned in restaurants, cafes, hotel dining rooms and shopping centres in Victoria.
Macao mogul inks profitable casino deal
MACAO: Macao gambling king Stanley Ho signed a multi-billion-dollar 18-year casino concession last Thursday, a move that will prolong his influence on the enclave’s lucrative gaming industry.
Ho’s licence is only one of three, however, which effectively breaks his 40-year monopoly on the gaming business in Macao.
Secretary for Economy and Finance Francis Tam told a news conference that Ho’s Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (SJM) will invest at least 4.7 billion patacas (US$585 million) in gaming, entertainment and related projects over the next few years.
They include the construction of a Fisherman’s Wharf theme park scheduled to be completed in December next year.
SJM would pay 35 per cent of its casino gross revenue in taxes, up from the current 31.8 per cent. It will also put 3 per cent of its gross revenue into a special public fund.
SJM will run the 11 casinos belonging to its parent Sociedade de Turismo e Diversoes de Macau (STDM).
However, the num
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