Win for small clubs, loss for pokies gamblers

Poker machines

Shaun Hollis

Journalist

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More poker machines may be introduced to smaller regional venues under State Government changes.

More poker machines may be introduced to smaller clubs and pubs in regional council areas such as Douglas Shire and Cairns following State Government changes to pokie licence rules.

Bigger pubs and clubs will now be able to join up with smaller regional venues to enable them to bring in more poker machines to those spaces.

While state Attorney-General Deb Frecklington is calling the change a “big win for smaller community clubs”, gambling-reform advocates are warning that Queenslanders may end up losing even more money on pokies than the recent record levels that have been lost.

Clubs which are licensed to operate multiple premises will now be allowed to increase gaming machines across their sites, allowing larger clubs to throw a lifeline to smaller clubs, Ms Frecklington said.

“The change will support regional Queensland clubs struggling in a tough operating environment to remain open, by merging with larger clubs,” she said.  

“Sadly, many Queensland clubs have been struggling, with an average of 12 shutting down each year over the past decade.”

Industry groups including Clubs Queensland, the RSL and the Services Clubs Association support the pokie-rule changes.

Clubs Queensland chief executive Kelly Egan said local clubs provided benefits for the community such as sports grounds and equipment, as well as places to celebrate with family and friends. 

“This is a sensible move by the Crisafulli Government that will ensure the survival of small community-owned clubs, which play such an important role in their local areas,” Mr Egan said. 

“This allows for more flexibility to respond to the needs of our members and society.” 

But figures released in February revealed the total number of pokies in Queensland pubs and clubs were making about $9.7m each day – up about 46 per cent from 2019 levels.

Queenslanders had already been breaking records for the amount of money lost to poker machines in the 2023-24 financial year, with Douglas Shire pokie players losing about $1m per month on the more than 160 machines in the region according to figures released in mid-to-late 2024.

There is also easy access for local gamblers to the more than 2300 poker machines in the Cairns region.

There are already more than 40,000 poker machines across the state, but more can still be brought in - Cairns has more than 2600 licences, so about 300 are not currently being used.

The Alliance for Gambling Reform is calling for a mandatory cashless card with pre-commitments for poker machine users to be introduced in Queensland to help reduce losses for problem gamblers.

The government received an estimated more than $1 billion from poker machine taxes during the past financial year.

The latest pokie-licence changes were made following an LNP promise at the last state election.

 

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