Historical background

On 25 July 1994, when gaming machines were commissioned in South Australia, many commentators argued that the South Australian Parliament had reversed the proven, effective and historic arrangements for gambling.

The Parliament, by agreeing to a market-based model for the introduction of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) ensured that the substantial returns of gaming machines would fall into private hands.

Instead of EGM gambling joining other forms of gambling (bingo, bingo tickets etc) in being located within essentially low-key undertakings within undercapitalised and dispersed community groups, it became a business operation.

The victims of this social revolution were the community.

After a period of extensive readjustment and trauma, clubs refocussed through the work of the few leading sporting and community clubs that had managed to secure a niche in this new world. However, it soon became apparent that the vast majority of community clubs had become the losers. Many closed their doors, while others were faced with a real financial struggle.

A core part of the strategy to renew clubs was the development of the concept that allowed them to co-operate to pool resources and capital so that they might preserve and expand their marginalised section of the gaming market.

The concept was became known as Club One (SA) Limited and it was advocated by the peak body of licensed clubs, Clubs SA.

In 2005, Club One (SA) Limited became a reality as the result of sustained, successful and persistent lobbying by Clubs SA.

The newly elected Labor government set up an inquiry into Managing Gaming Machine Numbers and - at the request of the then Executive Director, Clubs SA, Michael Keenan and the then Minister, John Hill - the inquiry was instructed to heed "representations which have been made by the Licensed Clubs’ Association of South Australia Inc about the special situation of licensed clubs".

The then Clubs SA Executive Director, Michael Keenan made representations to the Independent Gaming Authority hearings that included the need for relief for clubs, the co-ordination of club gaming and specific forms of support for licensed and unlicensed sporting and community clubs.

The Independent Gaming Authority agreed with the proposed concept of Club One (SA) Limited and made it an integral part of its report. This report, in turn, formed the basis of the legislation.

The Parliament also agreed with Clubs SA that Club One (SA) Limitedprovide the key mechanism to ensure the sustainability of licensed community and sporting clubs. As a result, the Special Club Licence was created as part of the Gaming Machine (Amendment) Bill 2004.

 

Club One (SA) Limited

The culmination of this work resulted in Club One (SA) Limited being formed by a resolution of Clubs SA in February 2005.

It has a Board that complies with the requirements of the Act, as the Board members have been selected for their expertise in the business and management of gambling and its consequences.

Club One (SA) Limited received its Special Club Licence to operate on 14 October 2006.