Future of slot machines to be decided

The fate of gaming machines in Inishowen and Letterkenny is set to be decided today.
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County Councillors in both Municipal Districts are to decide whether to adopt Part Three of the Gaming and Lotteries Act, paving the way for arcades to operate legally there.

Currently, arcades in both areas operate under amusement arcade licences.

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At a meeting late last year, business owners operating the arcades, which include two in Bridgend, one in Muff and two in Buncrana, urged councillors to adopt the Act.

They said if the Act is not adopted, they would not be able to obtain gaming licences and Revenue, which had already seized machines, would continue with enforcement.

They said this would lead to the closure of arcades, with the loss of almost 130 jobs.

They also told how over 90% of their trade is cross-border.

The decisions will be made at meetings later today. It follows the publication of notices by Donegal County Council, which called for public submissions on the issue.