OWEN Walker’s letter to the paper last week raised several flaws in the federal government’s revised poker machine legislation.
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Mr Walker is right when he says that the government’s deadlines just don’t give clubs enough time to introduce pre-commitment technology. What his letter didn’t mention though was the government’s plan treats not-for-profit clubs in regional areas just like we are the Star City Casino!
The government can’t have sat down and thought this through properly. How else do you explain a club like ours, with less than 100 poker machines, being given the same amount of time as the casinos to install pre-commitment technology?
On top of that, pokies in casinos earn a lot more money per machine than each machine in my club, or any club for that matter.
It’s just another factor that will make it impossible for clubs like ours to meet the government’s deadline.
And to top it all off casinos are exempt from the $250 ATM withdrawal limit that the government is forcing on clubs and pubs.
Not much about the federal government’s legislation makes sense, but the fact that they think problem gamblers don’t gamble in casinos has to take the cake. In fact, the government’s plans would be laughable if they weren’t going to devastate the club industry and hurt the charities and sporting groups we support.
KRISTIAN BROOKS
CEO,
TAMWORTH SERVICES CLUB