Casino Canberra - ACT

World Casino
Australia
Australian Capital Territory - ACT
Casino Canberra
HISTORY:
Casino Canberra is a small casino located in Civic in the central part of the Australian capital city of Canberra. It was the first legal casino to open in the City after the City was given Federal approval to open a casino in the years just prior to Self Government. The Casino is relatively small compared with other casinos. It has blackjack, roulette and many other games. It opened on 29 July 1994, after vociferous opposition from Dr Hector Kinloch of the Residents Rally, although a temporary casino had been put in place before that at the National Convention Centre, which had opened in 1992. Former Prime Minister, Bob Hawke and the ACT's first Chief Minister, Rosemary Follett were among the guests at the large opening party hosted by Dr Leo Walner, the then head of Casinos Austria, who were the winning bidders for the casino licence. Bob Hawke was the winner of the Golden Roulette Ball that was used for the first spin of the first roulette wheel in the tempory casino.
The Casino has the only licence to operate gambling tables in the Australian Capital Territory. It is unlike many casinos in that it does not operate poker machines. The Casino has in the past tried to lobby the government to allow poker machines in the Casino, but failed due to the efforts of the gambling industry in Canberra's clubs, who fear the loss of revenue from poker machines there. For the Casino to be granted a licence to operate poker machines the Territory's legislation needs to change. For that to happen there needs to be a majority vote in the Assembly but, despite the amendment being tabled on two occassions, the number of Members of the Legislative Assembly who have voted for the amendment have not been in the majority.