Cats to spruik service

JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
GEELONG Cats has signed a sponsorship deal with a gamblers’ counselling service despite planning to reap increased profits from pokies.
The Gamblers Help sponsorship was aimed at “encouraging young men to gamble responsibly this footy season”.
Star Cats defender Harry Taylor will act under the arrangement as an ambassador for the service.
The club operates 100 poker machines at Geelong’s Club Cats and 80 at Point Cook’s The Brook.
The club’s business plan said the Cats aimed to “increase hospitality profit to $3.2 million by 2013 through the addition of The Brook and…new gaming arrangements in late 2012”.
Anti-gambling campaigner and federal Member for Corangamite Darren Cheeseman said the Cats had a “genuine commitment to tackling problem gambling”.
“Obviously clubs are wrestling with this issue and sometimes you see token initiatives and club attitudes seem hypocritical.”
St Mary’s Catholic parish priest Fr Kevin Dillon said doubting the Cats sincerity on the deal would be a “tough call”.
“There may be some who would call it hypocritical but it seems like a responsible action,” he said.
“While the club offers pokies at its facilities, not everyone is going to be a problem gambler. The issue arises where problem gamblers are not protected from themselves.
“Economically, the club could promote gambling as hard as it could but it’s not.”
Geelong council’s gambling advisory group chair Cr Jan Farrell welcomed the club’s involvement.
“I’m looking forward to working with Harry during Responsible Gambling Awareness Week.”
The club gained varied feedback after seeking Twitter responses to the sponsorship.
Shesaid_aus tweeted: “I am very proud of this initiative but given the money we get from pokies don’t think we can act too virtuous.”
Markc01 replied: “The Cats should concentrate on what they are best at – winning footy games not telling free thinking adults what to do.”
Victorian Gaming Minister Michael O’Brien said the partnership would involve the Cats’ gaming venues working with Bethany Community Support, which runs Gambler’s Help in Geelong.