Manager calls for pokies curfew

Kieran Campbell | 21st May 2009

A ROCKHAMPTON club manager has called for a midnight curfew on poker machines, claiming late pokies opening times prey on the vulnerable.

POKIES CURFEW: Sun City manager Shane Latcham wants to see poker machines shut down at midnight.

Poll

Should pokies have a midnight curfew?

This poll ended on 24 June 2009.

Yes

57%

42%

This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.

A ROCKHAMPTON club manager has called for a midnight curfew on poker machines.

Shane Latcham, who runs Sun City Sports Club on Richardson Road, says he fears gamblers are being exploited by longer hours.

He admits the North Rockhampton club would be lost without the income from its 36 machines. But Mr Latcham says the club shuts at midnight and all revenue from the poker machines is, by law, injected back into the community.

Rockhampton premises that regularly open later than midnight are preying on gambling addicts and should be stopped, he says.

Mr Latcham responded to a story in The Morning Bulletin about Glenmore Tavern applying to extend closing hours from midnight to 5am seven days a week.

He said without revenue from poker machines after midnight the pub would have no reason to stay open.

Management from the Woolworths owned pub yesterday failed to comment.

Mr Latcham said later opening hours turned Rockhampton pubs into “makeshift casinos” that targeted the vulnerable in our community.

He said it was up to the Government to set a poker machine curfew.

“At the end of the day if (the Government) is allowing trading past midnight, the buck stops with them.

“I'm of the opinion that unless you are a nightclub you shouldn't be open after midnight.”