The activation of poker machines at The Links Gold Club in Shell Cove has been a point of contention among Shellhabour councillors. Over the course of the past year, Deputy Mayor Paul Rankin, Mayor Marianne Saliba and other councillors were at odds over whether or not pokies should be permitted at the venue. Now, the councillors have changed their mind, no longer opposing the new games.
When the idea was first presented last year, Mayor Saliba noted that the venue would be permitted by law to activate the licenses but that it would irresponsible for the council to allow it. This is because many families in the area have been adversely affected by problem gambling in recent years.
The council was worried that activating new pokie would only exacerbate the problem, and Councillor Kellie Marsh argued that pokies would not enhance the club. Now, the city council has changed its mind about poker machines at The Links, according to The Mercury. While Councillor Marsh previously stated that the games would not improve the venue, she now states that they would help to boot revenue.
“The business model at The Links is not working,” she says. “Introducing this element of gaming can put the club back into the black. Council has licences and should use them”.
Mayor Saliba has also echoed this change of heart. She stated that since the council already offers gambling through Keno and TAB venues, it would only be fair to allow The Links to install pokies – while noting that the new games would be unlikely to cause a rise in problem gambling rates. ‘‘A gambler who is a problem gambler will use any opportunity to gamble, not just poker machines.
Given there is already gambling in the facility it will not be adding to the problem,’’ she said. ‘‘We are competing with other like facilities with our hands tied behind our back if we don’t offer the same solutions other clubs do.’’
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