The Cootamundra Golf and Sports Club used to be known as the Cootamundra Country Club. Photo: Cootamundra Golf & Sports Club Facebook.
A NSW Government regulator has given the green light for a Riverina venue to more than double the number of poker machines it has on its premises.
The Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) approved an application by the Cootamundra Golf & Sports Club to increase its pokies entitlement by 20 machines – from 12 to 32.
The decision comes despite the NSW Government’s stated commitment to pokies reform in the state and tackle problem gambling.
In its application to the ILGA, the Cootamundra club said it was at risk of closing due to poor financial health and had recently merged with the Wyong Rugby League Club (WRLC) to ensure it could continue to operate.
“WRLC will need to improve revenue and profit of the club to ensure long-term viability, and this will require revenue improvement in all areas including recreational gaming services,” it said in its application.
“The club has been in a negative cashflow position for some time and in the 12 months to June 2024, it recorded a loss before depreciation of approximately $130,000.”
The Golf & Sports Club said the increase in pokies would allow it to compete with the other club in town – the Coota Ex-Services Club – which has 42 pokies.
The club also pledged to employ a responsible gambling officer to monitor the use of the pokies and identify patrons at risk of losing too much money.
ILGA Chairwoman Caroline Lamb accepted the arguments presented by the club.
“The importance of the club’s survival to the social fabric of the community and strong support from the police, council and community were considered as factors in favour of approval,” she said in the published decision.
“The venue has proposed to make a financial contribution of $158,678.76 to the Responsible Gambling Fund over the next five years.”
This fund raises money for gambling-related counselling, support services, awareness and education via a levy that venues with poker machines are forced to pay.
“To demonstrate its strong commitment to providing a positive contribution to the local community, and preventing gambling harm, the club undertakes to increase its financial contribution to $306,000 which is double the amount required under … guidelines,” the club stated in its application.
“The club proposes to implement a number of responsible gambling measures that go ‘above and beyond’ that required by law.”
Ms Lamb also said strong support for the community “suggests a positive culture of harm minimisation at the venue”.
Anyone wishing to have the decision reviewed can apply to the NSW Court and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), which will cost the applicant $127.
According to data from the Office of Liquor and Gaming, residents in the Cootamundra-Gundagai, Temora and Wagga region lost just over $29 million to pokies in the 2023-24 financial year.
