1. Does Western Australia Have Poker Machines Online
2. Does Western Australia Have Poker Machines Real Money
3. Does Western Australia Have Poker Machines For Sale

Updated May 29, 2020 06:58:22

NSW clubs could welcome crowds of more than 500 people in certain venues from Monday, with the industry boasting it 'heavily influenced' state government decision-making.

Western Australia has no poker machines in pubs, clubs or sporting venues and it has one of the lowest problem gambling rates in the country. Transcript plusminus. Dec 17, 2017 Western Australia Casinos. In Western Australia, there is Crown Perth, which is known as the biggest casino with 2500 gambling machines. Australian casino players are able to play their favourite casino games on the go as well. The same games that land-based casinos have, players can access on their mobile devices. “A lot of these clubs and pubs have become so dependent on poker machines, they want to turn the cash cows back on.”. 1058 in Queensland, 440 in South Australia, 589 in Western Australia. Australia has more poker machines per person than any country in the world, excluding casino-tourism destinations like Macau and Monaco. It has nearly 200,000 machines – one for every 114 people.

Key points:

• A ClubsNSW circular was sent to members on Wednesday announcing how venues would reopen next week under 'very generous conditions'
• ClubsNSW CEO Josh Landis says in the memo the NSW Chief Health Officer was 'heavily influenced' by the industry association's plan
• The document lays out how more than 500 people will be allowed in large venues with multiple dining areas and they can make use of gaming rooms with poker machines

According to an internal industry document obtained by the ABC, large clubs with multiple dining areas will be able to accommodate hundreds of patrons if they meet certain conditions.

In a memo sent to member clubs on Wednesday, ClubsNSW CEO Josh Landis took credit on behalf of the association for the rapid easing of restrictions across the hospitality sector in the state.

In the ClubsNSW circular, Mr Landis boasted that the NSW Chief Health Officer and other government officials were 'heavily influenced by ClubsNSW's reopening plan'.

NSW Health would not directly respond to this claim but said in a statement it 'will continue to engage with industry groups on the safe reopening of businesses in line with health advice'.

Last week, the NSW State Government announced a limit of 50 people per venue. But large pubs and clubs with multiple restaurants or cafes can accommodate an additional 50 people permitted per dining area.

The ClubsNSW document reveals that discussions were had with the NSW Government about capping that limit to 500 people in venues with multiple dining areas and large floor space.

Mr Landis tells members: 'Following further engagement by ClubsNSW, the upper limit of 500 patrons in a venue has been removed. Instead, the upper limit will be determined by the number of 'dining areas' in the club, in conjunction with the 4 square metre rule.'

The document outlines how additional patrons might be accommodated through the use of the dining area rule.

It suggests clubs may use conference facilities as additional dining areas if they are frequently used for seated dining.

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It also says some clubs may be able to use physical barriers within large rooms to split rooms into different dining areas, although ClubsNSW advises against it.

ClubsNSW advises its member clubs against erecting temporary walls to create additional dining areas and says that making use of some temporary food outlets such as coffee carts and pie warmers might be seen as irresponsible and will not increase a club's admissible number of patrons.

'Managers should also keep the penalties in mind before seeking to artificially increase the venue capacity,' Mr Landis wrote.

According to the document, patrons will not be required to consume food to use club facilities.

Additionally, the kitchens that service the relevant dining areas don't need to be open at all times and patrons do not need to leave the club once the kitchen closes.

NSW first to cash in on pokies reopening

On Monday, NSW will become the first state to allow gambling on the pokies since the COVID-19 shutdown, as confirmed by Deputy Premier John Barilaro late last week.

The ClubsNSW document says that gaming rooms with poker machines will be fully available to members provided a 1.5-metre space is observed between players.

'This may involve switching off machines, removing chairs and/or physically spacing out machines to separate individuals,' the document says.

In a statement, Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello said that the decision is driven by both health and economic considerations.

'We are working closely with a range of industry groups to save businesses and jobs, but they must comply with the rules and will be closely supervised.'

Does Western Australia Have Poker Machines Online

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Earlier this month, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that gaming venues could 'possibly' be allowed to reopen as part of 'step three' of his proposed path out of lockdown by July.

At the time, Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy confirmed it would be step three before 'gaming type venues' could reopen.

But it seems that NSW is moving ahead of that advice, and other states with lower infection rates, which do not have plans to reopen gaming rooms as quickly.

In Victoria, gaming rooms are due to remain closed throughout June with no plans yet to reopen.

In Queensland, poker machines are still in lockdown and won't be accessible until at least July 10 according to its 'step-down approach' to COVID-19.

In South Australia, which has only one active case of COVID-19, there is no date set for when poker machine rooms can reopen.

A spokesperson for the Attorney-General in South Australia told the ABC: 'Poker machines have always been at step 3, following the Prime Minister's advice.'

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Anti-gambling advocate Reverend Tim Costello is concerned that NSW is acting too quickly.

'Pokies venues are frequented by elderly people who are most at risk,' he said.

'ClubsNSW are boasting how they have influenced this policy in terms of lifting the cap of 500. It means these venues have the largest numbers allowed — all for pokies profits.'

ClubsNSW is considered one of the most powerful lobby groups in the country.

It has previously been credited with scuttling proposed reforms to reduce poker machine harm such as maximum $1 bets and mandatory pre-commitment.

The organisation has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Berejiklian Government guaranteeing gaming tax concessions to registered clubs.

The ClubsNSW document advises member clubs that further changes are still possible and subject to 'parliamentary drafting'.

There are massive economic and financial implications at stake — previous estimates made by the industry predicted that unless they were able to reopen soon, up to 40 per cent of clubs could be forced to close permanently.

A ClubsNSW Briefing paper revealed that about 80 per cent of clubs staff — or 35,808 people — have been stood down since the enforced shutdown was announced on March 22.

A spokesman for ClubsNSW said previously clubs had on average experienced an 87 per cent decline in monthly revenue, resulting in a collective $212 million monthly net loss.

Anti-gambling advocates argue the closure of gaming venues has been a welcome relief: earlier this week, the Alliance for Gambling Reform claimed that NSW residents had saved more than $1 billion since poker machines were switched off and an additional $18.1 million per day while they remain off.

The NSW State Government has already deferred payment of millions of dollars in poker machine taxes from previous quarters until September 1.

ClubsNSW did not get everything it asked for during the COVID-19 lockdown.

A source close to the Government told the ABC it resisted lobbying from ClubsNSW to allow club members to gamble online through a clubs portal during the lockdown.

In a statement, ClubsNSW said it 'has not lobbied to allow club members to gamble online through a clubs portal during the lockdown.'

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The information contained in the ClubsNSW circular, Further Information on Easing of Restrictions on Clubs, said the guidelines were 'confirmed by NSW Health and the Chief Health Officer following ClubsNSW's Engagement'.

A spokesperson for NSW Health told the ABC that the reopening of gaming rooms was subject to public health orders which had yet to be resolved.

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In April, ClubsNSW put forward a plan to NSW Premier Gladys Berejikian to reopen venues which was reviewed by 'an eminent infectious disease expert'.

The ClubsNSW circular sent out this week says that the reopening will stop short of previously discussed measures and 'temperature checking of patrons will not be required'.

A NSW Health Checklist provided to clubs states that businesses should develop a COVID-19 Safety Plan to comply with Public Health Orders.

It includes a directive to 'clean frequently touched areas and surfaces several times per day with a detergent or disinfectant solution or wipe … this includes electronic gaming machines.'

The ClubsNSW circular does not provide any specific instructions on how this will be carried out.

Minister Dominello told the ABC: 'The number one priority is saving lives and community safety.'

Noting that penalties apply for breaches of public health orders, ClubsNSW CEO Josh Landis also warned individual clubs across the state that there would be a cost for not following the rules.

'ClubsNSW strongly urges clubs not to seek to push the boundaries of these very generous conditions to avoid significant reputational damage to the club, management and the industry.'

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Does Western Australia Have Poker Machines Real Money

Topics:clubs-and-associations, covid-19, hospitality, gambling, sports-organisations, state-parliament, states-and-territories, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted May 29, 2020 05:04:00

CHRIS UHLMANN, PRESENTER: The storm over strict regulations for poker machines is raging on the east coast with many clubs claiming they can't survive without the money gambling delivers, but it is a very different story in Western Australia.

There are no poker machines in WA's pubs, clubs or sporting venues and as Nikki Wilson-Smith found, it has one of the lowest problem gambling rates in the country.

NIKKI WILSON-SMITH, REPORTER: For Perth footy supporters it doesn't get much better than this - Grand Final Day in the local comp is full of big kicks, hard hits and if you're lucky, one day ...

COMMENTATOR: Absolute elation there!

NIKKI WILSON-SMITH: But there is a growing chorus around the country that you can't have the big win without a few of these.

EDDIE MCGUIRE: Without any consultation, to have what looks like being a footy tax imposed is going to absolutely hit football clubs right between the eyes.

TONY ABBOTT: This is one of the tens of thousands of community clubs right around Australia that would be in jeopardy.

ANTHONY BALL: The AFL and their clubs have concerns about mandatory pre commitment and that just is also the position that the NRL and many other groups have had.

RAY WARREN, FOOTBALL COMMENTATOR: It won't work and it will hurt. They're 100 per cent right. I've never seen a more stupid policy in all my life.

NIKKI WILSON-SMITH: But clubs and pubs in WA don't have pokies. They're only allowed in the casino and because they've never had gaming revenue, community sporting clubs have found other ways to make money.

Does Western Australia Have Poker Machines For Sale

WAYNE BRADSHAW, WAFL: Volunteers work very hard to raise money. It really comes down to the function of mixing your expenditure with your income and we've managed to do it without poker machine revenue.

NIKKI WILSON-SMITH: The WAFL carries out membership drives and it gets corporate sponsors on board to generate its $2.1 million turnover. Two AFL superstars, Ben Cousins and Buddy Franklin, started their careers playing in WAFL clubs which thrive without gaming revenue.

WAYNE BRADSHAW: From our perspective we're not in support of poker machines. We think that the social impact outweighs the benefit that arises out of the revenue that is generated and certainly our clubs are in the position where they don't require the poker machine revenue.

GEOFF GALLOP, FORMER WEST AUSTRALIAN PREMIER: I think a lot of other states look with envy at what we've achieved in Western Australia.

NIKKI WILSON-SMITH: Geoff Gallop is a well known supporter of the WAFL competition. The former WA Premier moved to Sydney five years ago and he says New South Wales clubs are hooked on their 100,000 pokies.

GEOFF GALLOP: Once these clubs get dependent on the revenue that comes from poker machines it's very hard to break the cycle, and these institutions, these clubs and pubs are addicted on poker machines, the thought of their addiction being taken away from them by government edict causes terrible withdrawal symptoms.

NIKKI WILSON-SMITH: New South Wales is home to about 3.6 per cent of the world's poker machines and those pokies generate about $3.5 billion a year for clubs and pubs. The Productivity Commission estimates that 40 per cent of that revenue comes from problem gamblers. In 2008, co owners of the Rabbitohs, Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court announced a plan to make South Sydney Football Club pokie free.

PETER HOLMES A COURT: I doesn't feel right for me, it doesn't feel right for Russel, it doesn't feel right for our football club.

ROY MASTERS, SPORTS JOUNALIST: Well, I think Peter Holmes a Court genuinely believed as one of the co owners of the Rabbitohs that poker machines were heinous and that the club could exist without the resources from poker machines.

NIKKI WILSON-SMITH: Then just as quickly, the plan was scuttled by the team's members, voting to let them stay.

CLUB MEMBER: I like poker machines. I don't have a problem. If I have money, I will play them. If I don't, I don't.

CLUB MEMBER II: I think they're needed for the revenue to keep the club going.

NIKKI WILSON-SMITH: And not only did the club decide to keep pokies, it also signed a sponsorship deal with New South Wales' biggest poker machine operator, Star City Casino. After watching the Rabbitohs try to manage the issue, Geoff Gallop insists the West Australian model is better for the community.

GEOFF GALLOP: The level of problem gambling is lower here. People can still gamble and the vast majority of that money goes through the lotteries commission into the community. I think we're better than the other states.

NIKKI WILSON-SMITH: Sporting clubs in WA have no trouble attracting members, and according to the Productivity Commission, Western Australia has the second lowest rate of problem gambling in the country. The average amount spent on gambling each year is half that of a typical Victorian.

GEOFF GALLOP: I think when they look at Western Australia, they see, well, perhaps we don't have the big clubs, that's true, but I think we have a healthier lifestyle and of course we don't have those families being devastated by problem gambling.

NIKKI WILSON-SMITH: In the eastern states, Clubs Australia have been the most vocal critics of poker machine reform. Here in Western Australia, their counterpart Clubs WA is also in support of pokies. It wants the State Government to look into introducing them to community clubs, and it says organisations like the Willetton Sporting Club show why.

IAN MARSHALL, WILLETTON SPORTS CLUB: We are utilising the place far, far more. It's just a disappointing thing just the way it happened.

NIKKI WILSON-SMITH: The Willetton Sports Club has just gone into voluntary administration. Ian Marshall was manager at the time and says the cost of maintaining the ageing building became too much, despite having a turnover offer $1.1 million a year.

NIKKI WILSON-SMITH: What effect does it have on the community when a club like this closes?

IAN MARSHALL: Huge. We have got 5,000 members. I should say we had 5,000 members. That's 5,000 people whose children played here.

NIKKI WILSON-SMITH: Clubs WA argued that gaming revenue could keep clubs like Willetton in the black.

PETER SEAMAN, CLUBS WA: I guess it's about survival and I guess it's about tools to operate. In Western Australia we're denied some really good business tools that around the rest of Australia are able to use and do well with.

NIKKI WILSON-SMITH: But even the club's former manager isn't convinced that pokies are a silver bullet.

IAN MARSHALL: I think the money that's raised by it has to have a home defined prior to raising it, so if we were $150,000 short and we had the ability to put slot machines in, poker machines in to raise the $100,000, then we've raised it and then we should be told to get rid of them.

PETER SEAMAN: If we're going to have gaming in this state, let the Government control it but also let the community get some benefit out of it.

NIKKI WILSON-SMITH: The West Australian Government isn't looking at changing its pokie laws any time soon and while it continues with its strict bans, the battle over harm reduction continues in other states.

GEOFF GALLOP: Federalism is a good thing and it's good that Western Australia is different because we can see the difference and we can learn from it. I think the second lesson is once you get locked into poker machines, it's a very dangerous course, but there is an alternative.

CHRIS UHLMANN: Nikki Wilson-Smith with that report.

Editor's note: (February 10) the original article incorrectly reported that NSW is home to 20 per cent of the world's poker machines. It also stated that South's League Club was announced to be pokie free, it was only the South Sydney Football Club that was intended to be pokie free.