The AFL wants to help clubs rid themselves of their links to poker machines. The AFL is seeking consortiums to buy the poker machines and take over the leases, Nine’s The Footy Show reported on Thursday night.
AFL chief Andrew Demetriou revealed the plan to clubs last week.
Anti-gambling lobbying and potential changes in government legislation are two factors in the move, along with the debts which some clubs have suffered in their gaming ventures.
“We are prepared to open the batting on being the intermediary for them,” Demetriou said in a statement to Nine.
“If a group or several groups were interested in buying the machines, we would facilitate.
“It is fair to say our clubs are interested in that process.”
AFL clubs have about seven per cent of the poker machines in Victoria, Nine reported.
The AFL’s stance will be welcomed by some clubs but not others.
Some clubs are earning good money from pokies including Hawthorn, Collingwood, Geelong and Carlton.
However other clubs had over-committed themselves to mortgages to get pokies ventures up and going, Nine reported.
North Melbourne announced in March they had signed an arrangement with World Vision Australia, which meant the club could derive no profits from the gambling industry.
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Brisbane Lions have built a leagues style club up in Brisbane, Lions at Springwood, is this in the mix??, only a new club, 70,000 members or something stupid, but built to make money out opf pokies, with all the benifits, cheap food, grog, TAB etc.