Study flags major concerns about AFL pokies link to family violence
COLLINGWOOD president Eddie McGurie has revealed a solution that he says could see poker machines leave AFL clubs, without sending them broke. His comments come after a controversial report linked AFL-controlled pokies clubs and rising rates of family violence.
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COLLINGWOOD president Eddie McGurie says the club is actively trying to get out of poker machines, but it is not an easy thing to do without sending the place broke at the same time.
AFL-controlled pokies clubs and rising rates of family violence have been linked in a controversial report into footy’s dependence on gaming.
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The Monash University investigation into footy’s gaming addiction will increase pressure on the league to sever ties with pokies.
Gambler losses on 1316 machines at the 17 venues operated by nine Victorian clubs hit $94 million last year.
McGuire said Collingwood wants to get out of poker machines, but needs another source of revenue.
“It is not an easy thing to do because we can’t send the place broke at the same time,” he told Triple M’s Hot Breakfast this morning.
“If everyone in the AFL sold those poker machines, there’s not going to be any less poker machines because you are selling them to someone who is going to run the poker machines.
“If you want to have a serious discussion and we want to get rid of poker machines that’s a whole different thing.
“You have to replace that revenue. So we have to work out how we go about doing that.”
The Collingwood president suggested one solution would be for all poker machines to be at Crown Casino.
“I put a suggestion that we should be able to sell the poker machines to Crown Casino and have them all in one place, so you can absolutely legislate that is a gambling place,” he said.
“Move them out of the suburbs, put them in there.”
McGuire said the state of Victoria was addicted to poker machine revenue.
“The biggest beneficiary is the state of Victoria who put the money back into the community,” he said.
“I don’t like the way it’s done but that’s the way it’s been done.”
The Monash University report, by long-standing pokies critic and academic Dr Charles Livingstone, finds most of the AFL machines are placed in lower socio-economic suburbs.
And controversially, Dr Livingstone’s report concludes that the AFL pokies habit is “strongly at odds” with its new respect and responsibility policy as the gaming industry contributes to incidents of family violence.
“Electronic gaming machine (pokies) concentrations are associated with higher levels of family incidents — overwhelmingly, violence against women,” the report says.
Unless the AFL can address these issues directly, the well-intentioned aspirations and goals of the ‘respect and responsibility’ policy may be seen as hollow.”
PDF: READ MONASH UNIVERSITY’S REPORT IN FULL HERE
The report, using police crime data, states; “In northwestern local government areas where AFL (pokies) were located, the average increase (in family violence) was 21.5 per cent.”
In northwestern areas with no AFL pokies, the rise was less than 18 per cent.
The report goes on to state: “More pointedly, the rate of increase of family violence incidents in Melton (35 per cent) and Hobsons Bay (27 per cent) between 2013-17 can be correlated to the proportion of EGMs in the LGA (local government area) operated by AFL clubs.”
North Melbourne is the only Victorian-based club not earning money from pokies. Carlton owns the most with 300 machines.
The remaining clubs reap a share of the millions of dollars annually from gambler losses. Venues operated by Hawthorn, the reports states, earned $23 million from 165 machines.
The report identifies that more than half of the 1316 machines owned by AFL clubs are located in Melbourne’s “socio-economically disadvantaged” northwestern suburbs.
Machines in the northwest accounted for $54 million in punter losses last year, which equates to 57 per cent of the AFL club total.
It reveals Melton, “amongst the 10 most disadvantaged local government areas in Greater Melbourne”, has the highest concentration of AFL machines in Victoria.
Dr Livingstone’s report says “access to EGM venues is an important factor driving family violence, and without the venues operated by the three AFL clubs in that area, it is probable that the losses experienced by EGM users would be about half”.
Carlton operates another two venues at Hobsons Bay “also an area of relative disadvantage”, according to the Monash report.
“Concentrating EGMs in areas of social stress is likely to produce significant negative consequences for populations living in those areas,” it says.
“Further, areas of concentrated EGM accessibility are likely to have higher rates of family incidents reported to police, especially when those areas also experience significant social stress.”
AFL commission chairman Richard Goyder last year said he “hated” pokies and that the “custodians of the game” needed to tackle the reliance of clubs on pokies, as well as the league’s relationships with betting companies.
An IBISWorld report last year found poker machine cash accounted for one-third of some AFL club revenues.
Bad Bets Australia, an anti-pokies lobby group, called on the AFL clubs to get out of the pokies business.
The report concludes “a key way” for the AFL to pursue its goals around respect and responsibility would be to take steps to help clubs withdraw from the pokies business.
“Such a move would demonstrate a clear commitment to gender equity, the pursuit of elimination of violence against women, and the reduction of harm to vulnerable communities in general,” it says.
Dr Livingstone, who prepared the report at the Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, has had previous work been funded by responsible gambling groups.
PUNTERS KNOW RISK BUT IT’S THEIR CHOICE
WESTWATERS Hotel is ground zero when it comes to pokie playing in Victoria. But while punters admit to losing, they also say it’s their choice.
Pokies patron Sam Karsnqi said he visited the hotel’s pokies machines, operated by Hawthorn, despite knowing the dangers of playing. Mr Karsnqi said he spent roughly $300-400 on the machines each month.
“I know people get addicted and that causes trouble in their lives but I don’t go over the limits I set for myself,” he said.
“I play the pokies to get away from stresses at work, at home and just stress in life.”
The Caroline Springs resident said he usually played twice or more a week.
Kevin Phan said the pokies were designed to cause people to lose money.
“It’s a game devised for people to lose,” he said.
Mr Phan, who does not play himself, said while those who were addicted needed help, playing was a personal decision. “At the end of the day, nobody is forcing you to play. If you want to, you will.”
“These machines cause people to go broke and then ruin families. Why bother going through all of that?”
Shaun Cini said the effect pokies could have depended on the individual playing.
“Casual players aren’t necessarily losing their life saving playing the pokies but it’s those that often play that get into strife,” he said.
“I don’t play regularly but I have played before and I haven’t ever been inclined to spend too much.
“People just need to realise that if they’re losing a heap of money then they need to stop playing before it affects their personal lives.”
Director of The Alliance for Gambling Reform Susan Rennie said AFL clubs who operate venues with pokies should be ashamed of themselves.
“Like all pokies venues, losses and harm is greatest in communities suffering stress and the AFL clubs should be ashamed of themselves deluging harm on vulnerable communities with an addictive predatory product,” Ms Rennie said.
“All AFL clubs should follow the lead of North Melbourne and go pokies free, rather than exploiting stressed communities.”
— with Ryan Tennison
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