The era of RSL clubs as dimly lit pokie parlours is ending. Across Victoria, local sub-branches are rolling out live music stages, craft beer gardens, petting zoos, and family entertainment in a bid to transform their image and win back customers who've drifted away from traditional gaming venues.
The shift reflects genuine economic and reputational pressure. Recent research from Monash University and Curtin University found that less than 10 per cent of reported community contributions from Victorian RSLs with gaming machines supported veterans, whilst RSL Victoria operates over a hundred sub-branches that need to demonstrate they remain relevant community spaces, not just gambling outlets.
One striking example is the East Malvern RSL, which transformed a decommissioned bowling green into Banjo's Social Club. The new activation features live music and afternoon DJs on weekends, evening film screenings, and Sunday petting zoo sessions. Publican Matt Vero, who designed the space, said the goal was giving locals "a place that feels both familiar and new." The beer garden, now open Wednesday through Sunday, channels nostalgia for the classic Australian bowlos whilst offering contemporary food, craft beer, and family-friendly programming. RSL members enjoy discounts on food and drinks year-round.
Other Victorian sub-branches are taking similar approaches. The Coburg RSL hosts inter-branch darts tournaments, honky-tonk dance classes, and weekly members' nights with raffles. Live entertainment and social programming have become the draw, not the slots.
The reinvention carries a genuine tension. RSLs remain not-for-profit organisations originally created to support veterans, yet decades of gaming revenue has made them architecturally dependent on pokies. Western Australian RSLs, which operate under a different regulatory model without gaming machines, show that alternative revenue models are possible. These 106 sub-branches survive without pokies revenue, funding operations through memberships, food, and entertainment.
For Victorian clubs moving away from gaming dominance, the shift means rethinking their entire business model. Petting zoos and film nights don't generate the same margins as electronic gambling machines. The question is whether these venues can build a sustainable community presence through events and hospitality alone, or whether pokies will remain their financial backbone despite the reputational cost.
What's clear is that the old image no longer works. When sub-branch operators like Vero talk about making these spaces "casual and welcoming" with "great food and great beer," they're signalling a deliberate break from the past. For communities tired of seeing their local RSL defined by gambling harm, that shift may finally be worth noticing.