Church pushes for pokie ballot to reduce number of machines Currently one poker machine is taken out of circulation for every four purchased by a venue. UNITING Communities has demanded that poker machines be taken out of licensed venues by ballot if the industry does not cut more than 700 machines from circulation by the end of next year. In 2004, the State Government set a target of removing 3000 poker machines but 775 of those are still in operation. Under laws designed to reduce the numbers, one machine is taken out of circulation for every four purchased by a venue. Proposed laws to come into effect by mid-next year also include reducing a maximum bet from $10 a spin to $5, and categorising venues into large and small venues. Gaming venues will have the option to increase the number of machines on site from 40 to 60 but will have to agree to introduce the stricter measures to tackle problem gambling. The smaller venues will have a limit of 20, which the State Government hopes will stimulate trading of machines. But Uniting Communities - the church's welfare arm - says proposed legislation should include a December 2014 deadline to remove the extra 775 machines that should not be operating. It also wants betting limits reduced to $1. Uniting Communities spokesman Mark Henley said the industry would hate a ballot, which would essentially put the names of all venues into a hat to decide who would lose machines. But he said the threat of a ballot could encourage trading. "Ten years on from the time the decision was made by Parliament is long enough," he said. The reality is that the hotel industry has had revenue from 700 poker machines they shouldn't have had for nearly a decade now. Business Services and Consumers Minister John Rau said the addition of the Adelaide Casino into gaming machine trading would help accelerate the cut in poker machines. "The Government remains committed to the target and hopes to achieve it as soon as possible," he said. Importantly, it also aims to reduce the number of venues with gaming machines operating in SA - a measure that has been put forward by the community sector.