Woolworths-owned hotel operate 1461 pokies across NSW, nearly the same amount as the Star Casino [2]. There are three Woolworths-owned hotels in the list of top 25 pokies profit venues in NSW, all of them located in the pokies-dense area of Fairfield in Western Sydney.
NSW Greens MLC Justin Field said, "I think the average Mum and Dad Woolworths shareholder would be shocked at their deep investment in poker machines at casino-like levels.
"Woolworths promotes a family- and community-minded image while betraying people and families with addictive pokies every day.
"Woolworths supermarkets claims on its website that:
When it comes to the community, we'll pick the greater good every time.
"But Woolworths turns a blind eye to the individual and community impacts of the mega-profits generated by its 1461 pokies in NSW hotels, many of them in areas already experiencing financial and social disadvantage.
"The company puts food on the table with one hand and it rips the grocery money away with the other.
"Poker machines are addictive and designed with one intention -- transferring money from people's pockets into the profits of hotel and club owners. These profits appear on the Woolworths balance sheet but nowhere do they account for the cost of pokies on people, families and communities.
"Woolworths owns more poker machines in NSW than supermarkets across Australia. In many ways, it's more accurate to call Woolworths a gambling company than 'fresh food people'.
"Pokies harm people and the community, it destroys relationships and families and it tears the social fabric. This is no business for a company wanting to be a responsible part of the community and put food on our tables.
"The Greens call on Woolworths to follow the lead from Coles and place $1 maximum bets on poker machines in its hotels as a first step towards better community safety. It should also prepare a firm transition plan for exiting poker machines all together," he said.
23 November 2017
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