The NSW Liquor and Gaming regulator has completed an investigation into gaming machine manufacturers’ paying for overseas trips for pokie club executives. What’s the scam?
The scam is ‘pay to play’ – how six gaming machine manufacturers offered free ‘education’ trips to club executives contingent on clubs ordering a certain number of new gaming machines at $30,000 a pop.
According to Liquor and Gaming NSW, the trips (to Las Vegas, we assume), “did not have any education components or a genuine and specific course of study.”
Pokies whistleblower Troy Stolz told MWM, the junkets were in breach of Section 43 A of the Registered Clubs Act 1976. “The pokie companies are taking credit for their generosity in delivering education initiatives to the club industry and being the good guys, getting tax relief too.”
The complaints will now be submitted to the NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority for consideration (of remedies and penalties).
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Kim Wingerei is a businessman turned writer and commentator. He is passionate about free speech, human rights, democracy and the politics of change. Originally from Norway, Kim has lived in Australia for 30 years. Author of ‘Why Democracy is Broken – A Blueprint for Change’.