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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Henry Belot and Benita Kolovos

Victoria’s clubs give more money to themselves in guise of ‘community benefits’ for tax breaks

A room full of poker machines
The volume of community benefits clubs claim to have made under the scheme has risen 30% in 12 months. Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty Images

Poker machine venues in Victoria have significantly increased the amount of gambling revenue they are spending on themselves, while justifying it as a “community benefit” to get a tax cut.

Victoria’s community benefit scheme provides a tax cut to clubs that reinvest 8.33% of gambling revenue back into the community. But these clubs are able to list upgrades to their own golf courses, renovations and operating costs – which help keep gambling rooms open – as community benefits.

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