The government of New South Wales says that they won't be reversing their ban on indoor smoking in pubs and clubs despite a fall in poker machine revenue. Other factors in the recent fall are the rising interest rates and high gas prices have contributed to the downturn.

The Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing have released figures that show that since the smoking ban was fully implemented in July of 2007 poker machine turnover in hotels has fallen 11 percent and they are down 7 percent in clubs. In March it dropped as much as 19 percent in hotels and 11 percent in clubs.

Assistant Health Minister Verity Firth says while the smoking ban is a significant factor in the reduction, it will not be scrapped. "Banning indoor smoking was an absolutely essential cancer prevention measure," she said. "The law is about saving lives."














- 2008-05-02