Bell Park Club to pocket $120k annually as pokies move to Fyansford Hotel
A Geelong sporting club is set to bank an ongoing $120,000-a-year sponsorship payment in return for shifting its 28 poker machines to a local hotel operator, even as council members publicly criticised the impact of gambling on the region.
Bell Park Sport and Recreation Club and Fyansford Hotel owner PJ Cook Investments have lodged details of the arrangement with the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission. Under the proposal, which is still awaiting approval, Fyansford Hotel would pay Bell Park $10,000 a month indexed to inflation, for as long as the machines remain in operation at the venue on Hyland Street.
A social and economic impact assessment commissioned by PJ Cook Investments and submitted to the regulator argued the move would deliver net community benefit.
"The benefits associated with the proposal include the closure of a gaming venue and relocation of machines away from an area that experiences greater disadvantage," the assessment stated.
"Additionally, it will ensure the ongoing viability of the (Bell Park) club through the sponsorship agreement of $120,000 p.a. and move machines away from a facility focused on younger people.
"These benefits will outweigh the potential disbenefits, including the potential risk of increased gambling behaviour, which will be partially offset by the closure of a gaming venue as well as through the responsible gambling practices adopted by the applicant."
The VGCCC is currently taking public submissions on the proposal, with a hearing date yet to be set. Bell Park Dragons president Jeff Jarvis, who has driven the club's push to offload the machines since 2023, was approached for comment.
At Geelong council's monthly meeting on Tuesday night, councillors Emma Sinclair and Rowan Story voted against a recommendation backing an increase in Fyansford Hotel's machine numbers from 40 to 68. The motion's passage also means council will not need to conduct its own social and economic impact assessment of the transfer.
Councillor Rowan Story acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but defended the vote.
"I think we're faced with the, sort of, least worst option here, but in support of some of my fellow councillors, gambling is a pernicious social evil and we should do all we can to correct that situation, limited as our abilities are, but one way we can do it is to vote on this issue," he said.
The debate comes against a backdrop of mounting gambling losses across the municipality, with close to $142 million lost in City of Greater Geelong pokies venues last financial year — the highest figure on record for the region.
Councillor Anthony Aitken took aim at state legislation, arguing clubs wanting to exit poker machine operations are penalised for doing so.
"I think that is an absolute real travesty for any sporting organisation, community organisation that wishes to get out of poker machines, because it's actually wrong," he said.
"What would have been good is if Bell Park could have said, 'we wish to get out of pokies, we'll hand back the licence, and we reduce the amount of income that's going into gambling'."
You Yangs ward councillor Chris Burson labelled the scale of local gambling losses "absolutely ridiculous."
Separate from its application before the gambling regulator, Fyansford Hotel has also sought council approval for construction works that include an expanded gaming room. Public submissions on that project remain open until July 5.
Jonathan Jackson, 25th June 2026
