Woolworths chairman Gordon Cairns has thumbed down proposals for the company to introduce AU$1 bet limits on video poker machines.
Cairns found himself on the hot seat during the company’s annual general meeting on Thursday as he fended off anti-gambling shareholders’ attacks against the Australian-listed firm’s poker machine operations.
The Guardian reported that Cairns raised his eyebrows over anti-gambling advocates’ claims that problem gambling is caused by the company’s imposition of higher bets on its pokie machines.
When asked whether Woolworths would follow the footstep of rival grocery giant and hotels operator Coles in placing AU$1 bet limits on poker machines, Cairns told shareholders that “there is no empirical evidence that will improve the incidences of problem gambling.”
Cairns then reminded the company’s shareholders that Woolworths was a pioneer in voluntary pre-commitment system, which permits players to place a maximum spend or time limit on a poker machine.
“We are the most responsible operator of gaming machines in Australia and we will have that validated by a recognized world authority from Canada that is coming down to audit us,” Cairns said.
Confronted by a former gambler during the stakeholders’ meeting, Cairns contended that the company has always been committed in ensuring that problem gamblers and players are always taken care of.
“The majority of people who use our facilities come there and have an enjoyable time,” he said. “A minority of people have a problem and we have to address both.”
Woolworths is considered Australia’s largest poker machine operators through its majority ownership stake in Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group, which operates more than 330 hotels.
Government data shows Woolworths collects over a quarter of its pokies revenue from Victorian gamblers. Woolworths’ annual pokies revenue in Victoria grew to AU$669 million (US$509.12 million) in the 2015-16 financial year.
Earlier this year, the supermarket giant pushed for an even greater share of Victoria’s pokies market after receiving record revenue from the machines.
