AFL chief Gillon McLachlan concedes hard for clubs to rid themselves of pokies

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan concedes there is discomfort among Victorian clubs about footy’s $100 million-a-year pokies habit.

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan concedes there is discomfort among Victorian clubs about footy’s $100 million-a-year pokies habit.

“It’s something we’ve talked about a lot, we looked at one stage about as an industry, could we exit them, but it’s challenging,” McLachlan said.

“They are in our industry and they are hard to exit.”

The Melbourne City Council will vote next week on a motion calling on league chiefs to develop a funding plan to help clubs wean themselves off soaring gaming machine profits.

A pokies protest will also be staged by gaming activists before Saturday’s Hawthorn-Melbourne clash at the MCG.

Asked if AFL clubs had grown too reliant on pokies revenues, McLachlan told 3AW: “They are reliant to the extent that even clubs with philosophical problems have trouble exiting them because they are embedded in their businesses.

“I don’t think there is anybody in our industry who loves having the machines, but they are a part of it and we do our best, and the clubs do their best to manage them responsibly and ultimately the profits are going back into our footy clubs and not-for-profit areas that ultimately have a broader community benefit.

“It’s not an ideal answer, but it’s where we are.”

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said he was undecided about supporting the pokies motion.

“There is a strong view among some councillors that football clubs that have poker machines are probably sending the wrong message into their communities,” Doyle told 3AW.

“Some clubs have moved away from that, other clubs have downgraded their poker machine exposure. I don’t know how I will vote on that just yet I must say.

“I think North Melbourne made the decision some years ago that as community club in quite a disadvantaged and vulnerable area that they were not going to use that as a revenue stream.

“I don’t think Collingwood have entirely divested themselves, but I know that they have significantly downgraded their exposure to poker machines.

“There are some clubs that are doing it, but in the end, if it passes, it is just a letter to the AFL, and I’m sure they will treat it with all the respect they intend to accord it.”