Depending on your point of view, the RSL’s 52 Victorian pokies venues are keeping the veterans charity afloat, are morally indefensible or are a legal product that allows people to socialise and gamble in moderation.

New RSL Victoria president Dr Mark Schröffel is open to RSL sub-branches offloading their pokie venues, as community sentiment to them sours.

The RSL is open to selling off its pokies venues.Credit: Virginia Star

At the same time, Schröffel stresses that the RSL is a responsible owner of pokies, and prohibition does not work.

“I’m not defending gaming or gambling, I don’t like it personally,” Schröffel tells CBD.

“But because we’re a community organisation, our staff know the people who are coming in, they keep an eye on it. They’re not motivated by profit or bonuses or anything like that.”

So, would Schröffel support the sale of pokies, perhaps to racing organisations rather than the gaming giants?

Dr Mark Schröffel, the newly elected president of RSL Victoria at ANZAC House.Credit: Joe Armao

“It’s possible,” he says. “My focus is actually on the veteran services. That’s the business side of it, and it’s important, and I’m interested in how that affects our position and our reputation in the community.”

And they’re off? They might be tipped to head the field but the form is very hard to pick based on the responses CBD received when contacting Melbourne’s big racing organisations to gauge their interest in buying more pokies from local RSLs.

Victoria Racing Club, which describes itself as the world’s largest member-based racing club and hosts the Melbourne Cup Carnival, has one pokies venue at Flemington Racecourse and no plans to purchase more.

Melbourne Racing Club........

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