The BNFL (Ballarat Football Netball League) is concerned that it will have to make due with less funding from pokies this year. Since Victoria’s state government introduced the ATM withdrawal limit at poker machine clubs, a decrease in pokie profits could lead to funding cuts for sports leagues. The ATM withdrawal limits were introduced towards the end of 2012.
The limits prohibit players from withdrawing more than $250 while at a gaming club, helping to ensure that players do not chase their losses or lose control of their spending while playing pokies and other gaming machines. According to The Courier, last year saw over $200 000 in pokie grants provided to BNFL clubs. This year, league officials estimate that their funding will be cut in half.
Although the exact amount of funding has not been decided as of yet, BNFL are preparing for the worst. Stephen Darbin, President of North Ballarat City, has stated that the decline in pokie profits will certainly cut into league funding. His team normally receives $20 000 each year to help pay for umpires, but the group will receive $10 000 in 2014. He is concerned that the club will have trouble compensating for the loss on its own.
“I understand the Leagues Club has to act within their resources. They can only allocate to clubs what they’ve got,” says Darbin. “Ten grand is lot of money to raise for a small club. You have functions and things like that, but we have to have a good function to raise 10 grand.” Victoria’ ATM ban has had a positive effect on problem gambling rates, but it continues to impact community group in a negative way by causing a decline in funding.
There must be a middle-ground, in which pokie losses are reduced but clubs can continue to receive adequate funding from gambling revenue.
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