THERE ARE 1,672 licenced gaming machines in the country and some €765,160 in revenue to the State is generated from them each year.
The information was revealed by Finance Minister Michael Noonan this week, following a question from Fine Gael TD Anthony Lawlor.
Noonan said these figures refer to licences of up to one year and licences of up to three months, with the current rate for these machines set at €595 and €145 respectively.
As there is no set licensing year for gaming machines, the numbers relate only to machines licensed at close of business on 29 May and do not include recently expired licences which operators may be in the process of renewing, the minister added.
Lawlor had also asked about plans to increase the licence fee for slot machines to a comparable level as that in Northern Ireland.
“It is not possible to compare the licence fees applicable to gaming machines in the State with those applying in Northern Ireland as the licensing and duty arrangements differ between the two jurisdictions,” Noonan responded. “In particular, in Northern Ireland, the operator pays machine gaming duty which is chargeable on the total net takings from his or her dutiable gaming machines rather than a fixed per machine.”
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