How big an impact will this have!
Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 9:11 pmhttp://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sanfl-clu ... 6639991551
LEADING SANFL clubs warn junior football development and community funding are under threat from new poker machine reforms they say will benefit larger venues.
Business Services and Consumers Minister John Rau has revealed plans to divide venues into "major" and "minor" categories under a trading deal that will allow hoteliers to buy up machines from smaller venues.
Clubs SA, which represents not-for-profit community sporting organisations, warns the move will "kill off" grassroots clubs as cashed-up hotels run by Coles and Woolworths gain a bigger share of the market.
They argue big hotels can afford more machines and offer more enticing deals and facilities to gamblers.
Central District chief executive Kris Grant said the planned changes would hurt "all SANFL clubs" and his organisation was already suffering losses due to tough economic conditions.
"We have had to cut and prune expenses in many, many areas without trying to affect our core business of football and being a representative of the community," he said.
"If this was to come in, we can see that we would have a further decline and we would have to look at what we expend in the area of football development for juniors together with sponsorships, charities and donations," Mr Grant said.
Development programs often produced elite footballs or led many young people to get involved in the sport for life at amateur level, reducing their later risk of poor heath and improving social connections, he said.
North Adelaide chief executive Greg Edwards said he was "fearful of the damage" from planned reforms.
Other SANFL clubs with large interests in poker machines include South Adelaide and Sturt. Under the changes revealed last month, minor venues could have a maximum 20 machines - while major venues could have up to 60.
Mr Rau said the changes were intended to stimulate trading of machines between current owners and the Government would remove one in every four sold from circulation.
Adelaide Casino is expected to be a big buyer of machines as part of its planned expansion.
Clubs SA president Cameron Taylor said gaming revenue was critical to the viability of many grassroots teams.
"The proposed changes to legislation will kill off clubs at a faster rate and accelerate the demise of the club industry," Mr Taylor said yesterday.
"The legislation ... seems to be about placing all poker machines in a for-profit casino and to private operators at the expense of not-for-profit clubs."
The Government's changes now face attacks from both the clubs industry, which considers the changes draconian, and social service providers calling for tougher anti-gambling measures.
The Government is attempting to raise the matter for debate in Parliament as soon as this week.
Mr Rau said his reform plans followed lengthy and broad consultation.
"This legislation represents a compromise by many people on a position that perhaps none of them consider to be their perfect position," he said.
"I'm not going to walk away from that compromise position."
He said the planned laws would cut the total number of poker machines in pubs, clubs and hotels while also reducing the number of venues and allowing authorities greater oversight of problem gaming.
Under the planned changes, major venues would also have to impose voluntary pre-commitment technology, cut the maximum bet per spin from $10 to $5 and impose daily withdrawal limits of $250.
SA Council of Social Services executive director Ross Womersley said clubs could strengthen their push for special legal consideration by volunteering to offer stronger gambling protection in their venues than large hotels do.
"The challenge for the clubs, if they want to argue community responsibility, is that they absolutely have to demonstrate it. I'm not convinced that they are," Mr Womersley said.
Opposition gambling spokesman Iain Evans said the laws risked making Coles, Woolworths and large hotels "big winners", while community clubs would be relegated to "big losers".
"The community clubs will be lucky to survive under this particular Bill, that's my concern," he said.
"At the same time, the Government is cutting sport and recreation funding."
LEADING SANFL clubs warn junior football development and community funding are under threat from new poker machine reforms they say will benefit larger venues.
Business Services and Consumers Minister John Rau has revealed plans to divide venues into "major" and "minor" categories under a trading deal that will allow hoteliers to buy up machines from smaller venues.
Clubs SA, which represents not-for-profit community sporting organisations, warns the move will "kill off" grassroots clubs as cashed-up hotels run by Coles and Woolworths gain a bigger share of the market.
They argue big hotels can afford more machines and offer more enticing deals and facilities to gamblers.
Central District chief executive Kris Grant said the planned changes would hurt "all SANFL clubs" and his organisation was already suffering losses due to tough economic conditions.
"We have had to cut and prune expenses in many, many areas without trying to affect our core business of football and being a representative of the community," he said.
"If this was to come in, we can see that we would have a further decline and we would have to look at what we expend in the area of football development for juniors together with sponsorships, charities and donations," Mr Grant said.
Development programs often produced elite footballs or led many young people to get involved in the sport for life at amateur level, reducing their later risk of poor heath and improving social connections, he said.
North Adelaide chief executive Greg Edwards said he was "fearful of the damage" from planned reforms.
Other SANFL clubs with large interests in poker machines include South Adelaide and Sturt. Under the changes revealed last month, minor venues could have a maximum 20 machines - while major venues could have up to 60.
Mr Rau said the changes were intended to stimulate trading of machines between current owners and the Government would remove one in every four sold from circulation.
Adelaide Casino is expected to be a big buyer of machines as part of its planned expansion.
Clubs SA president Cameron Taylor said gaming revenue was critical to the viability of many grassroots teams.
"The proposed changes to legislation will kill off clubs at a faster rate and accelerate the demise of the club industry," Mr Taylor said yesterday.
"The legislation ... seems to be about placing all poker machines in a for-profit casino and to private operators at the expense of not-for-profit clubs."
The Government's changes now face attacks from both the clubs industry, which considers the changes draconian, and social service providers calling for tougher anti-gambling measures.
The Government is attempting to raise the matter for debate in Parliament as soon as this week.
Mr Rau said his reform plans followed lengthy and broad consultation.
"This legislation represents a compromise by many people on a position that perhaps none of them consider to be their perfect position," he said.
"I'm not going to walk away from that compromise position."
He said the planned laws would cut the total number of poker machines in pubs, clubs and hotels while also reducing the number of venues and allowing authorities greater oversight of problem gaming.
Under the planned changes, major venues would also have to impose voluntary pre-commitment technology, cut the maximum bet per spin from $10 to $5 and impose daily withdrawal limits of $250.
SA Council of Social Services executive director Ross Womersley said clubs could strengthen their push for special legal consideration by volunteering to offer stronger gambling protection in their venues than large hotels do.
"The challenge for the clubs, if they want to argue community responsibility, is that they absolutely have to demonstrate it. I'm not convinced that they are," Mr Womersley said.
Opposition gambling spokesman Iain Evans said the laws risked making Coles, Woolworths and large hotels "big winners", while community clubs would be relegated to "big losers".
"The community clubs will be lucky to survive under this particular Bill, that's my concern," he said.
"At the same time, the Government is cutting sport and recreation funding."
