THE OPEN LETTER WAS PRESENTED TO THE ESSENDON FOOTBALL CLUB IN JULY 2023. IT IS A LIVING DOCUMENT AND WE STILL ENCOURAGE YOU TO CLICK HERE TO ADD YOUR NAME TO THE CALL FOR ESSENDON TO EXIT THE POKIES INDUSTRY

An open letter to the Essendon Football Club;

Craig Vozzo
Chief Executive Officer,
Essendon Football Club,

Dear Mr Vozzo,

Time for Essendon Football Club to commit to exiting the poker machine industry


We, the undersigned, call on the Essendon Football Club to make a meaningful and public commitment to exit the poker machine industry.

Since 2010 over $150 million have been lost by people at Essendon-owned pokies venues. Poker machines are predatory, they are designed to be addictive, and that addiction can be destructive not just for those directly experiencing it but for the people close to them too.

One of the objects of the Essendon Football Club is ‘to preserve, foster and promote the ideals and traditions of the Club.’  Owning poker machine licences is not consistent with this object. The origins of many sporting clubs, such as Essendon, lay in the desire to improve the health and wellbeing of the communities from which they were born. Through its ownership of poker machine licences, the Essendon Football Club is instead profiting off the weakening of the communities where it operates.

At the end of the 2022 AFL season the Essendon Football Club started a process of transformational change. At the heart of this was a desire to return the club to its once great status – to be a leader on and off the field. Essendon will never be a great club while it continues to own poker machine licences.

We acknowledge that finding an alternative source of revenue for the club is a complex task. However, this should not be cause for inaction. North Melbourne, Collingwood, Western Bulldogs, Geelong, Melbourne and Hawthorn have all taken on this challenge and sold their poker machine licences.

It’s time for Essendon to do the same.

Sincerely,

No Pokies At Essendon (NoPE) Incorporated and the signatories listed below.

View signatories

Mike Read, NoPE President
Domenico Cristiano, Essendon Member
Graham Evans, Essendon Member
Chris Seaman, Essendon Member
Christine McFetridge, Essendon Member
Jim Wright, Essendon Member
Michael Chan
Jamie Lewis

Bianca Cristiano, Essendon Supporter
Abigail Burchill
Michael Albanese, Essendon Member
Alessandra Burato, Essendon Fan
Flavio Burato, Essendon Member
Stefano Burato, Essendon Member
Teresa Cristiano, Essendon Fan
Angela Cristiano

Domenic Albanese, Essendon Fan
Duncan Adams
Sean Ryan
David Pollock,
Fifth generation bombers supporter
Stephen Mead
Gracie Cristiano

Lyn Bouvier
Allan Soutaris
Rylee Evans
Jeremy Burke
, Essendon Member
Cathy Albanese, Essendon Fan
Jason Wilcox , Essendon Member
Daniel Cogger, AFLW Member
Chris Dansie, Essendon Member
David Peake, Essendon Member
Bruce Pell
Aaron Christensen, Avid Supporter
Ralfi, Disenfranchised former Member
David Cornell, Essendon Member
Ellenora Brown, Essendon Member
Lawrence Thomas
Tony Walton, Concerned Darwin teacher
Tim Stewart, Essendon Member
Richard Batchelor, Essendon Supporter
Georgina Scambler
Anthony Shaw, Proud Essendon Member (male and women’s)
Angus Kerr, Essendon Member
Jackson Davey, Essendon Member
Felix Sharkey, Essendon Member
Neo Williams, Essendon Member
Joel Cant
James Caleo, Essendon Member
Callum McCracken
Jack Clark, Essendon Member
Matilda Stevens, 28 Year Member
Greg Dare, Essendon Member
Professor David Cross, Essendon Member
Matthew Hluchanic, Essendon Member
Patrick Gray, Essendon Member
Phillip Burnham, Essendon Member
Alex Smith, Loyal Supporter
Mark Dougherty
Tim Jones, Essendon Member
Sharon Read, Essendon Member
Moustafa Said, Essendon Member
Nicola Martin, Essendon Member
Linda Davis
Brett Williams
, Essendon Member, life-long fan
Matt Poynton, Essendon Member
Marion Bird, Essendon Member
Simon Williams, Life Long Supporter
Filip Djordjevic, Former Member
Tim Kemm, Essendon Member
Kelvin Skewes, Life Long Supporter
Garry Kemm, Essendon Member
Michele Kemm
Emma Coad
, Essendon Member
Janet Elson
Evan Ali
Tom Carlyon
, Essendon Member
Brendan O’Brien, Essendon Member
Catherine Gatta

Max Oss-Emer, Essendon Resident
Franca Marino, Essendon Fan
Richard, Essendon Member
Helen Atkins, Essendon Member
Sarah Pannell, Essendon Member
Michael, Member
Helen Moriarty, Long-term Fan
Carl Logan, Essendon Member
Kane Wishart, Essendon Member
Andrew Matenson, Essendon Member and Lifelong Fan.
Lachlan Preston, Essendon Member
Brendan Fitzgerald, Essendon Member, Doctor
Tony Hedley, Essendon Member
Anthony Ciavarella, MCC Member, Lifelong Essendon Supporter
Dean Mighell, Essendon Member 27 years.
Richard Mack, Lifelong Essendon Supporter
Dylan Jansz, Lifelong Fan
Jayden Ensor
Stuart Osbourne, Essendon Member
James Vigus, Essendon member, Social Worker
Barbara Hogg, Caring Essendon Fan
Emily Matenson
Les Hogg
, Bombers Fan
Ali Hogg, Essendon Fan
Lyn Gilbert, Member 20 years
Rob Kewley, Bombers Member
Asanga Seneviratne, Essendon Member
Michael Panton, Essendon Member
Adam Moulang, Essendon Member
Alan Downie, Essendon Member
Theresa McAteer, Essendon Member
Christian Pearson
Debra Congues, Essendon Member
Owen McAteer, Former Member
Lynne Black, Essendon Member, supporter for 65 years
Patricia Bodsworth, Member 60+ years
Carmen Ludeman, Essendon Supporter
Graeme & Lerma Blore
Stathi Bosmis
Angelo Tavlaridis
, Essendon Member
David Cairns
Marc Slater, Essendon Member
Adam Stone, Essendon AFL and AFLW Member
Genevieve Nolan
Michael Broadstock
, Former Member
Gerry Constantinou, Activist
Gerard Delaney, Essendon Member
Ken Blackman, Resigned membership over pokies
Martin McAteer, Essendon Member
Peter Wilmshurst, Essendon Member
Rory Sullivan, Avid Supporter
Greg Deacon, Essendon Member
Evan
Rod Oaten
, Essendon Member
Sam J, Essendon Member
Colin Read, Essendon Member
Yvonne Quinn, Essendon Member
Alex lacota, Essendon Member
Shail t, Essendon Fan
Will
Jeremy, Essendon Member
Declan Gould, Previous member but cancelled due to this issue.
David Pledger
Matthew Price
, 4th Generation Bombers Fan
Helen Mulvaney, Essendon Member
Jordan Cowley
Tom Burton
, Essendon Member
Nick Stevens
Tim Sheehan
, Essendon Member
Andrew Johnston
Elliott Haskins
Seamus Clancy
, Essendon Member
Thomas Marshall, Essendon Member
Tim Heraud, Essendon Member
David Quick, Essendon Member
Nalin Dayawansa, Essendon member
Max Lewis, Essendon Member
Zane Adami, Essendon Member
Michael Borg, Essendon Member, 27 years
Gabriel Robinson, Essendon Member
Andrew James, Teacher
Drew Harper, Essendon Member
Sarah, Essendon AFL/AFLW Member
A Taylor, Solicitor
Alexander Nowak, Essendon Member
Fiona Bullen
Liam Mannix
, Lifelong Essendon Fan
Ross Blackman, Essendon Member
Chris Sutton, Longtime Essendon Supporter, Salvation Army officer
Edwina Oostergetel, Essendon Member
Daniel Jackson, Lifelong Essendon Supporter
Max Barden, Lifelong Essendon Fan
Nick Barry
Luke A
Hayden Shaw
, Essendon Member
Ellie Collins, Essendon Member
Michael Curtis
Travis Marke, Supporter
Jim Wackett, GM, Wesley Mission & Swans fan grateful for Bombers fans speaking out
Melissa Sbaraglia, Essendon Member
Dayne Ansell
Joseph Fogarty
, Essendon Member
Daniel B
Jessie DiBlasi
Libby Mitchell
, Pokies almost killed me. Thanks for speaking out!
Kate Seselja
Stuart Cullen
, Member EFCm, EFCw, MCC. Lifelong Bombers fan.
Shaun McDonough
Katharine Jacobs

Matthew Pickett, Essendon Member
Paul Chivell, Essendon Member
James Bowering
John Dawson-Wink
, Essendon Member
Cameron Bloye, Lifelong Essendon Fan
Will Jackson, Hampton Rovers Junior coach
Joanne Isaac
Kayla Devers
, Essendon Member
Bridee McMahon
Rachel Gyles
, Mother of Essendon Members
Marilyn Wright, Essendon Member
Brendan Backhouse, Essendon Member
Darren Camilleri, Essendon Member of 20 plus years
Shane Luxton
Lana Dacy
Alexander Minicz
, Essendon Member
Bronwen Ewens
Kevin O’Neill
Paul Crossley

Dr Allan Morse, Australian Rules Football Fan
Adrienne Dite, Essendon Member
Alan Hill
Tyler Hamilton
Kevin Streets
, Football follower
Ian Mason
Simon G
, Essendon Member
Lynette Eggleston, General Practitioner
Vivien Miller, Essendon Member (25 Year Member)
Sharlien Darker
Pam Wheeler

Elissa Booth
Zoe Wright, Essendon Member
Dustin Liebelt
Darren Murphy
Connor Grant
, Essendon Member
Carolyn Eccleston, Sports enthusiast
Samuel Duff
Alex Drummond, Essendon Member
Kristina Evans, Essendon Supporter
Heath Lamaro, Essendon Member
Hayden, Past Essendon Member (soon to rejoin)
Scott Perry, Essendon Member
John Rudd, Essendon Member
Paul Dimond, Life Long Fan & Former Member
Laurel Dimond, 35 Year Member
Andrew Dyer, Past Member and Lifelong Fan
Sophia Nguyen, Essendon Member
Johny Zacharia, Essendon Supporter
Tim O’Kane, Previous member but cancelled due to this issue
Paul Fortuna, Essendon member
Erin Kelly
David Slater, Essendon Member
Darren, Essendon member
Anna Slynn, Essendon Member
Hank, 1st year member, cancelling next season due to this issue.
James McIntosh, Essendon Member
Justin Hompas, Essendon Member
Tony Nicholson, Essendon Member
Harper Pestinger, Lifelong Essendon member
Steven Pain, Essendon member
Connor, Essendon member
Brigid Henley, Essendon Member
Nathan Villiers, Essendon member
Gabrielle Pestinger
Brenda Williams, Registered Nurse
Paul Brazil, Boycotting Essendon member. Father of two boycotting members. Former Melton resident
Tony Pain, Essendon Member
Johanne Silvashields, Essendon AFL & AFL Member. Father of essendon AFL member signed up at 2 months old.
Pete Muskens, Past member – Quit membership over pokies harm
Sophie Thompson
Jeffrey Erlich, Essendon member
Russ Clapham, Essendon Member
Lachlan Ellis, Essendon Member
Will Beitzel, Essendon Member
Dr John Dyer, Physician and Essendon member