The decision to scrap the pokies machine would make the South Sydney Rabbitohs the first licence club in New South Wales to do so voluntarily. The approval, though it could be subject to legal challenges, was welcomed by Mr Holmes who said it would benefit both club members and residents living in Redfern.
"We put a proposal for a family-friendly club, an inclusive club, one that would make the current members of the club - the people who've been going there for years - happy, but also the new residents of Redfern," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
The high profile announcement to scrap the pokies machine made earlier this year by both Mr Crowe and Mr Holmes was welcomed by Christians.
Reverend Tim Costello, a prominent anti-pokies crusader, described Mr. Holmes as a 'pioneer' in the area of corporation responsibility and said it took courage to be one. The scrapping of the machines was also welcomed by the Salvation Army who said this was a 'watershed moment' in addressing the 'scourge' of gambling.
In his Christmas message, the President of the Australian Baptist Union, Reverend Dr. Ross Clifford, made an appeal to the Federal Government to examine ways to help State governments reduce its reliance on poker machines' revenue.
"I was shocked by a report released by the Australian National University 's Centre for Gambling Research that found the states collected about $4 billion in gaming taxes in 2005. This is misery money and governments need to do more to reform the gambling industry and state reliance on gambling revenue," Reverend Clifford said.
Earlier, Revered Clifford described the announcement as a 'creative initiative which was commendable and refreshing' and concurred with Mr. Holmes a Court that Redfern was not an ideal location to have pokies machines since the residents could ill-afford it.