Australia's Queensland Looking Into Three New Casinos
The Australian government has spent the past three years working on safeguards to protect residents against the dangers of problem gambling. Now, one of the Australian states is threatening to go the other way.
Queensland politicians are considering the possibility of expanding their gaming industry to include three new casino resorts. Tourism in the state has been lagging, and lawmakers believe that additional gaming options could be beneficial in bringing tourists back to Queensland.
Premier Campbell Newman explained the intentions of the state in an email on Monday. Queensland, according to Newman, would be a perfect fit for two additional casinos, along with the redevelopment of Echo Entertainment Groups existing casino in the state. Echo has three of the current four casino licenses in Queensland, but Campbell believes the state can handle more.
"Queensland can sustain up to three new integrated resort casinos," said Campbell. "The casino is only part of these major developments, which are tourism draw cards in their own right."
Campbell asserted that along with the casinos, the resorts would bring retail stores, hotels, and entertainment venues. The combination of all aspects of the resort makes it an attractive option for lawmakers looking to increase tourism. The model for Queensland's expansion, according to Campbell, would be Singapore.
The Asian gaming market has exploded since Macau became the top gaming destination in the world several years ago. In the time since, Singapore has developed their gaming industry into a billion dollar business, and Japan is considering doing the same.
Australia has been one of the casino leaders in the world over the past decade. Lawmakers have attempted to curb problem gambling by changing laws to include mandatory spending limits, and removing ATM machines from casino floors.