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Gambling profits handed back to community
Message was posted: 09:35 Aug 25th, 2006

User: Diverdown Rank: Casino Gold: 2538CG Contributor rating: 5440 Status: Offline

Gambling news from http://www.abc.net.au/ More than $100,000 raised from poker machines is being distributed to community groups in Griffith and Wagga this week. Under the Community Development and Support Expenditure Scheme, clubs making more than $1 million profit from gaming machines are required to return money to the community. In Griffith $61,000 is being distributed to 13 groups including the Griffith Preschool Kindergarten and Meals on Wheels. The Wagga RSL and Rules Club meanwhile have this week handed over $45,000 to a range of groups including the Wagga Breast Feeding Association and the Toy Library. But a leading welfare organisation says there is a downside to the scheme. Mission Australia says while the charities receiving money are certainly worthy, these donations could not have been made without gambling. Problem gambling counsellor John Lynch says profits from gaming machines often come at the expense of the most vulnerable. "One, I suppose, distressing aspect of it is that about 55 per cent of profits is actually generated from people with a problem of gambling so unfortunately a high percentage of these profits does come from people who can't really afford it."