Pokies to be taken from Coast’s ‘struggling’ clubs

The State Government aims to purchase any pokies it might need for a Gold Coast global tourism hub gaming resort from “struggling clubs”, an investor source who met state officials says.

THE STATE Government aims to purchase any pokies it might need for a Gold Coast global tourism hub gaming resort from “struggling clubs”, an investor source who met state officials says.

The source said when he asked where 1500-plus pokies for a potential GTH would come from, the bureaucrat indicated incentives would be offered to struggling clubs to buy them.

It is generally considered amongst the gaming industry that about 400 are not being utilised amongst the current allocation across the Gold Coast.

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BCM NEWS 26/6/2012. Generic gaming machine or poker machine images. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

The source said the bureaucrat he met indicated getting the rest from struggling clubs such as RSLs and surf clubs wasn’t considered a big hurdle to overcome.

Last week, another source who met with State Government officials doing GTH consultation, claimed State Government bureaucrats were “open” to sourcing pokies outside the Gold Coast.

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It contradicted Labor and Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones’ promise not to increase city pokie numbers for a GTH.

At the time of the claim, Department of Innovation and Tourism Industry Development director-general Damien Walker told the Bulletin he had “reiterated” to his team of officials a Gold Coast GTH was to be pursued with no net increase in pokies.

He added it had been a clear instruction from the Palaszczuk Government.