The dispute over whether or not the new Castlemaine Sports and Community Club would be allowed to install 65 poker machines started over a year ago. After months of hearings and appeals, the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal has made a final decision on the issue – and the club ultimately loses out in the end.

Last year, the Maryborough Highland Society made plans to build the Castlemaine Sports and Community Club, which would derive a portion of its revenue from poker machines. Shortly after the operator received a license to install 65 new poker machines, a community group called Enough Pokies in Castlemaine (EPIC) jumped into action.

The group presented the case to the VCAT, arguing that the new sports club would need an additional planning permit in order to introduce the new games. “No community should have pokies pushed onto it and when they resist, we have a duty to listen,” says Elizabeth O’Shea, a lawyer who represented EPIC throughout the dispute. Initially, EPIC’s request was denied.

The group’s plan to discourage the new club from installing poker machines had failed the first time around – but EPIC would not give up. Over the course of the next few months, the group appealed the VCAT’s decision, and it seems that the tribunal has finally given in to the group’s wishes.

The VCAT has ordered the Maryborough Highland Society to continue with the launch of the Castlemaine Sports and Community Club – but without the introduction of new poker machines. The society will have to create a new business plan that does not rely on the profits generated by poker machines.

According to Mark Dwyer, deputy president of the VCAT, the tribunal’s reasons for prohibiting the new club from installing poker machines are as follows: “The economic impacts of the proposal, considered alone, will be positive, but only moderately so. The social impacts of the proposal, considered alone, will be negative, and moderate to strongly so.”

It seems that the VCAT did the reasonable thing and weighed the options. It was finally decided that the addition of new pokies would do more harm than good to the local community.

About the Author

George Anderson
Author George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.