Canberra clubs receive share of nearly $1 million as part of gambling diversification fund

The money will go towards projects including a conference centre, new outdoor dining areas and an indoor golf facility.

The funds were handed out under the ACT government's gambling diversification fund as the government pursues its agenda to reduce the number of pokies in the territory.

The largest recipients include the Murrumbidgee Country Club who will receive $200,000 to construct an indoor golf facility and the Canberra North Bowling and ACT Rugby Union Club who will receive the same amount for a new cafe alongside kitchen upgrades.

Murrumbidgee Country Club general manager Scott Elias said the facility would be an electronic teaching facility where golfers can practise their shots and have them analysed.

He said planning was underway for the facility and he was hopeful this would be completed by the end of next year.

"It's a great opportunity for a facility on the south side of Canberra," Mr Elias said.

The Canberra Southern Cross Club will receive $100,000 to develop an outdoor dining area on its Corinna Street frontage. The club's executive officer Ian Mackay said it would provide a valuable space for its Woden members.

"Creating attractive hospitality spaces is something we are passionate about at the Canberra Southern Cross Club," he said.

The Croatia Deakin Soccer Club will use its $175,000 to redesign and rebuild its main entry and will also install a lift to make its upper floor more accessible.

"The grant will greatly assist the club with improved access to the ground floor and first floor meeting and function rooms for people with disabilities and other members," Croatia Deakin Soccer Club general manager Mark Herrick said.

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The Canberra Labor Club will receive $150,000 to develop a conference centre at Belconnen's Mercure Hotel and the Eastlake Football Club will receive $150,000 to install solar panels at three of its clubs.

Gaming Minister Shane Rattenbury said the fund was important for the government's harm reduction policies, saying it helped clubs transition away from pokie revenue.

"The government is implementing a gaming harm reduction agenda, working with clubs to reduce the number of gaming machines and to introduce bet limits," he said.

"An important part of this is helping clubs transition to revenue streams that don't involve gaming."

The fund, developed in 2019, is financed by clubs which are required to contribute $20 a month for the first 99 poker machine licences they hold. This rises to $30 a month for each machine above this number.

Clubs can apply for money from the fund to use for projects that help diversify clubs revenue streams away from poker machines.

There are two tiers of funding that clubs can access. The first tier is for $25,000 and clubs are able to apply for this year round. In the second tier clubs can access up to $250,000 in grants. The clubs were given this funding under the second tier.

The ACT government is aiming for the number of poker machines in territory clubs to be 3500 by 2024, as outlined in the Labor-Greens power-sharing agreement.

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