News GWS looks to poker machines to fund operations

[captainMyCaptain]

Certainly not a fan but we do need to explore more ways in which we can be more self reliant:

GREATER Western Sydney is investigating a poker machine play to help fund its fledgling operations.

Giants chairman Tony Shepherd confirmed the club was considering getting into gaming machines, while acknowledging concerns over “social implications”.

GWS would become the 12th AFL club to tie its fortunes to the controversial industry.

The move comes as forces linked to billionaire pokies king Bruce Mathieson seek to take control of Carlton, which reaps a $2 million annual profit from machines linked to Mathieson.

Figures show the AFL competition is increasingly reliant on poker machine revenues.

“It’s obvious that football clubs do better if they have a non-football source of revenue, and that is something certainly that we are considering,” Shepherd told the Herald Sun.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/gw...-fund-operations/story-fnelctok-1226888977676

 

[Bogan Juniors]

Having seen and experienced the misery that gambling addiction can inflict on families I would be disgusted if this were to be the path the club took.

 

[Land of the Giants]

We're better than needing bloody poker machines to survive.

We're a family club and I want it to stay that way.

 

[van peebles]

nnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
yeah im against it.

 

[Simmofreo]

In all fairness guys we need a lot more members to survive. We hoped that the crowd numbers would increase when we started improving. We have started great this year and the crowds are still bad. If we were a new WA team we would not have the luxury of being able to top up profits with Pokies.

We are not collingwood with 80 000 members and we may have no choice.
I don't want to be criticized for being spoon fed by the AFL forever either

 

[Bogan Juniors]

Lets open a brothel and a crack house as well. Pokies are not the answer and only Australia and in particular NSW seem to think it is. I would be happy to be spoon fed by the afl rather than inflict further hardship on the community and in particular our supporters.

NO NO NO

 

[Danny88]

The facts are that it's legal and will support the club. I see no issue with it.... The afl happily make money off online betting and alcohol advertising so I don't see the difference if it's us using pokies or the afl propping us up with similar money

 

[Bogan Juniors]

Brothels are legal too

 

[Danny88]

But countless other clubs

Brothels are legal too

But countless other clubs don't invest in those...

Just watch the sportsbet add at half time and explain to me the difference

 

[Bogan Juniors]

Cigarettes are legal as well......doesnt make it right

 

[Danny88]

No worries

U can have your opinion and I'll have mine

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

I'd rather they didn't. But I'd take a social club with poker machines over being sponsored by (taking money from) a bookmaker or betting agency.

 

[fabulousphil]

Brothels are legal too

Brothels are even better with a TAB in them, a few pokies wouldn't hurt either.

 

[2014]

 

[2014]

 

[Dav1d]

as long as the club is serious about preventing problem gambling in their venue then I'd be for it, it is difficult when you're a struggling club

 

[IanW]

If we ran a pub, we could get Toby to be bouncer.

Too soon ?