Fight goes on for pokies win

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Fight goes on for pokies win

Do you bet on the horses/cricket?

No, I don't.

I did join three others from this site to use our extensive football knowledge to break a bookie. I did feel a little sorry for him knowing the great wisdom the three of us had between us gave him no chance. I was feeling guilty about the prospect of him losing his house and having to take his kids out of school.

Funnily enough he didn't go broke after all. Due to the most amazing piece of bad luck, we lost.

[Scraggers]

Re: Fight goes on for pokies win

This is probably why the fight still goes on ...

http://www.theage.com.au/national/afl-clubs-make-killing-on-pokies-20090307-8rym.html

AFL clubs make killing on pokies

Cameron Houston
March 8, 2009

VICTORIAN AFL clubs reaped $245 million from poker machines in the past three financial years and are increasingly targeting Melbourne's most vulnerable communities.

Five suburban venues owned by Collingwood Football Club made $62 million, with about $20 million pouring directly into the Magpies' coffers.

Reigning premiers Hawthorn got about $35 million from pokie players at its Waverley Gardens venue, Vegas, which was the third-most lucrative pokie club in the state. Each machine generated a staggering $157,000 last year.

Richmond's balance sheet was boosted by almost $10 million after pokie players lost about $30 million at its clubs in Wantirna and Richmond.

The Western Bulldogs, Essendon, Carlton and Melbourne each made more than $2 million a year from gaming.

Financially embattled North Melbourne recorded the lowest take of any Victorian club, with pokie players losing $1.3 million over three years at the Arden Street social club, delivering a modest profit of $450,000.

On Friday, the Brumby Government released details of pokies spending at all Victorian gaming venues as part of its plan to strip Tatts and Tabcorp of their duopoly power and allow hotels and clubs to own and operate machines.

Charles Livingstone, of Monash University's department of health science, accused AFL clubs of deliberately establishing gaming venues in economically disadvantaged areas.

"It's no coincidence that Richmond has a venue in Wantirna, or Melbourne in Oakleigh, or Collingwood in Caroline Springs, or Carlton in Laverton. This is an obvious strategy to maximise the returns from each machine and it seems to have the blessing of the AFL's administration," Dr Livingstone said.

Hawthorn is poised to expand its gaming empire into the western suburbs, with approval for 80 more machines at its proposed $27 million West Waters Hotel development in Caroline Springs.

Dr Livingstone warned that clubs would bid aggressively when poker machine entitlements were auctioned next year.

Ballarat Leagues Club chief executive Rod Ward said regional community clubs and RSL venues were vulnerable.

"Under the new system, we'll simply be outbid at auction. If you've got a situation where the Ballarat Golf Club is bidding against Collingwood Football Club, then who's going to win? It's like David versus Goliath," Mr Ward said.

Clubs Victoria executive director Margaret Kearney told The Sunday Age that the allocation of poker machine licences should not be decided by the highest bids alone.

Ms Kearney urged the Government to introduce a minimum entitlement for all community clubs to avoid competition with gaming industry heavyweights with deeper pockets.