A stay of execution has been given to Poland's 34,000 AWP machines from a government proposal to add a 10 per cent turnover tax to the machines. This would be imposed on the coins going into the machine and was due to be introduced on January 1, 2009.
The industry, together with the 27 casinos in Poland, which were equally hit by the proposed tax, combined to bring intensive pressure to bear on the authorities, which have now relented to the point that the new tax has been stalled for the moment. It is not known how long the reprieve will last, but it is intended to use the time to talk further with the authorities in an effort to have the proposal shelved permanently.
The government had intended to use the extra income to pay for the building of new stadia for the 2012 European football championships.
