Last modified on Tue 16 Mar 2021 06.04 EDT
RSL and leagues clubs in New South Wales have broken ranks with their peak industry body to negotiate a trial of an alternative to the state government’s proposed mandatory gaming card as critics warn a badly designed system could be a “disaster”.
The push by the RSL and Services Clubs Association and Leagues Clubs Australia – which are separate from the powerful ClubsNSW – would see a trial of cashless technology in several of the state’s largest clubs to tackle problem gambling and money laundering.
Gambling reform advocates say going cashless could be transformative even if it’s not via a compulsory gambling card. But they’ve questioned the minimum five-year timeframe suggested by the RSL and leagues clubs.
Critics rubbish ClubsNSW claim gaming card would cost $1 8bn and thousands of jobs theguardian.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theguardian.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
When the chips are down, can Andrews walk away from Crownâs table?
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In the three decades since Crown opened its first casino in Melbourne it has hedged its bets on both sides of politics.
The mates network it has built, stronger than perhaps anything the stateâs body politic has ever seen, has helped grease the wheels in Victoria since the day Laborâs Joan Kirner gave a casino her blessing and the Liberal Partyâs Jeff Kennett turbo-charged things.
Last week, Crownâs luck ran out.
Dirty money fears as poker machine losses top pre-pandemic levels
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Losses on Victoriaâs poker machines have risen above pre-pandemic levels following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, with gamblers blowing $239 million in January.
One of the stateâs leading gambling experts says money laundering by criminals is likely to be at least partly behind the increased losses, which were $15 million more than those racked up in January 2020 before the pandemic shut down Victoriaâs pokies for seven months.
Victorian gamblers lost $239 million on poker machines last month.
Crown is one of Victoria s biggest employers — could it really lose its licence? abc.net.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from abc.net.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.