Hotel’s Pokie Purchase Backfires

Yarram’s Commercial Hotel has made a pretty big mistake by purchasing ten poker machines without obtaining the proper gaming license. Now that the Wellington Shire Council has rejected proprietor Bernie Plummer’s proposal, he is left with ten pokies that cannot be used.

With the hotel’s ten new poker machines, Wellington Shire Council would continue to fall below its poker machine cap of 324 games. However , the council wants to keep the ratio of games per 1000 people below 10. If Plummer were granted a gaming license, it would bring the ratio up to 11 games per 1000 residents.

The council also disapproves of poker machine being located in and around shopping strips. Since Plummer’s hotel is in that type of area, he should not be operating pokies.

“The Commercial Hotel-Motel in Yarram purchased these gaming machines with knowledge of our planning scheme,” says Councillor Emilie Devine. “That in itself is a gamble and I hope on this occasion it doesn’t pay off.”

The council urges Plummer not to appeal the rejection. Members feel strongly about their gaming practices, and it is unlikely that they will be convinced that Plummer’s new pokies should ever receive licenses.