On September 20th, 2007, keno gaming will soon be allowed in hotel facilities in Albury and all over New South Wales. The Government of NSW will give permission to hotel facilities to offer keno over the next months, ending the 16 year exclusivity of the clubs. Brian Grenfell, a Globe Hotel licensee is happy with the news and says that it will improve the number of customers of the hotel industry as well as expand the business opportunities of the industry.
Grenfell said that they could not anymore rely on alcohol and additional entertainment activities will certainly help them to earn more. Grenfell expects most hotels in Albury to feature the game.
Gaming Minister Graham West agreed to modify the keno license, two years after ex-premier Bob Carr said that he had no plans to allow pubs to offer keno. Federal Treasurer Peter Costello has criticized the plan, commenting that the profits will only come from gambling addiction.
Clubs in NSW are not criticizing the plan regarding the keno issue because it is an operator of the game with Tabcorp and will be given their revenues from the pubs. The NSW Council of Social Service has tasked an independent gambling regulator for gaming in the state and criticizes the plan as a danger to the profits of the clubs.
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon commented that the hotel industry had funded the NSW Labor Party with hefty donations last election. A spokesperson for Mr. West denied any agreement was because of the donations to the Labor party from the hotel industry.
Graham West expects that half of the NSW's 2,000 hotel facilities will take advantage of the game. Opposition gambling spokesperson George Souris said that the decision was just a way to increase the taxes.
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John Sullivan
