On September 20th, 2007, the Lismore Workers Club said that keno expansion from clubs to pubs will drastically reduce the income of clubs in Northern River, Australia. It will also have a bad effect on club supported sporting and community groups. But local hoteliers have given keno a lukewarm response with one pub manager saying that only a few hotels would likely host the games.
The manager of Lismore's The Standard Hotel and the chairman of the Lismore Liquor Accord, Mick Drew commented that revenue margins on the game were so slim that offering it are only worthwhile for most pubs. Drew said that only 2% to 3% of total money turnover from keno transformed into revenue.
Goonellaballah Tavern manager Adam Berger, who offers 25 gambling machines in his establishment, said that he was interested in offering keno but did not believe that it could be a big profit generator. Berger said he got occasional questions from patrons who wanted to play the game.
These customers are from Queensland who are used to keno being offered in their own pubs. It may not be important to the hoteliers but the plan was dismissed by Treasurer Peter Costello who said that gaming profits were produced from "gaming addiction".
Offering keno to pubs would take a big chunk of the profits from the region's clubs, according to Steve Bortolin, the general manager of the Lismore Workers Club. Bortolin said that gambling accounted for about 60% of the profits of their club and that money was allotted for the golf and lawn bowling operations of the Lismore Workers Club.
Some of the money was also allocated for different community and sporting organizations. Bob Grant, the Ballina RSL Club Chairman commented that the pubs and club attract a different kind of customers. That customer difference will help clubs keep their market share from the presence of keno in pubs.
[03-10]
Louis Blechdom
