NT Casinos to pay up from July

Northern Territory casinos are set to pay 10 per cent of their poker machine profits in a new gambling tax.

From Wednesday SkyCity Casino in Darwin and Lassters Hotel Casino in Alice Springs will start paying the tax which is expected to raise $8 million per year, a huge increase on the $1.2 million raised last year.

The government announced in its 2014-15 budget in April that casinos would have to start pulling their weight and contributing to the Community Benefit Levy, to which pubs and hotels already contribute.

Other July 1 legislative changes for the NT will include the abolition of stamp duty on life insurance, with life insurance riders offering additional insurance taxable.

The payroll tax exemption for apprentices and trainees will go, to be replaced with grant schemes to be administered by the Department of Business.

A payroll tax exemption for charities will also make clear that political parties, industrial associations, professional associations and bodies promoting trade, commerce and industry are not able to claim a non-profit exemption.

Changes to the Superannuation Act are also lined up for July 1, including introducing new timeframes for claiming super benefits, and giving the Civil and Administrative Review Tribunal power to review decisions.

NORTHERN TERRITORY LAW CHANGES FROM JULY 1:

* 10% poker machine profits tax for casinos

* Abolition of stamp duty on life insurance

* Scrapping payroll tax exemptions for apprentices and trainees in favour of grants schemes

* Timeframes introduced for claiming superannuation benefits