Out with pokies, in with music

By Laura Anderson

THE first moves to reduce by 3000 the number of poker machines in South Australia began yesterday, with one hotel leading the way with plans to empty its entire gaming room.

Eagle On the Hill hotel owner Aleks Bojanic wants to see live entertainment, rather than pokies, in his hotel.

He is removing all 24 poker machines from his hotel, starting with an initial cut of four. "We want to create a more social environment and the early indications from the people we have spoken to are 'good on you for taking that stand'," Mr Bojanic said.

"We will put the funds from transferring machines or selling entitlements to pretty good use to hopefully encourage people back to live music.

"We will certainly lose some revenue initially but what we hope to gain down the track is a stronger, more pleasant business."

Across SA, the move to cut machines will lead to an initial cull of 2100 in July, with the remaining 900 to be traded out of the system.

Gambling Minister Michael Wright said he expected the 900 machines to be removed "later this year and early next year". The Government will also contribute an extra $2 million to the Gamblers Rehabilitation Fund, taking annual contributions to a total of $3.8 million.

Premier Mike Rann said no other Government had tackled problem gambling on such a large scale.

"We need to now focus on the needs of problem gamblers, because this is the reason we fought so hard to get this legislation passed by Parliament," he said.

"The process to remove 20 per cent of poker machines from SA is now underway."

No Pokies MP Nick Xenophon said the laws were a "small step in the right direction" and needed to go much further.

He vowed to introduce further legislation this year aimed at substantially reducing gambling addiction.

"Treasury figures show this measure will cause a reduction in the rate of growth in gambling losses from 5.5 to 5 per cent," he said.

There are 14,912 poker machines in SA, with 146 out of 599 venues pokies-free, Mr Xenophon said.

He criticised a decision by the Government to delay smoking bans in pokies rooms until October 2007.

Opposition gambling spokesman Robert Brokenshire agreed, saying smoking bans were "the only thing that is going to have an impact".

Hotel licensees with gaming machines have started to receive entitlements from the Office of the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner. Community and sporting clubs are exempt from the cuts.