The last poker machines will be removed from Tasmanian RSL branches by the middle of the year.
Of the more than 3,000 poker machines in Tasmania, only 20 are in RSL clubs, and all of those are in the Devonport sub-branch in the state's north-west.
Over the last few years, most clubs have voluntarily removed the machines.
RSL Tasmanian chief executive John Hardy said he had now reached an agreement with the Devonport committee to remove its machines by June, meaning no RSL Tasmania facilities in the state would have them.
Mr Hardy said the machines could be harmful to veterans and RSLs should instead be focusing on support and welfare.
"If we think about what the RSL should stand for ... it's commemoration, it's recognition of service and it's welfare for veterans and their families.
"That is what we fundamentally believe the RSL is about.
"It is not about pots, parmies and pokies.
"It's not a sports bar, it's not a pokies den, the RSL should be about the wellbeing of veterans and the commemoration of service."
Time for change
Mr Hardy said the RSL has been gathering information and data on areas that will help Tasmania's veteran community.
"We've said, 'look we need to do something about this, we can change our own environment, we're going to do it'," he said.
"This isn't a political statement.
"We need to make sure that when veterans come into the organisation if we've identified them as being vulnerable that we can make sure they get the right treatment.
"There is some fairly significant evidence that indicates that vulnerable veterans ... they are more at risk through things like poker machines.
"The poker machines are something in our environment that we can control."
Devonport RSL president Shannon Wainwright has welcomed the upcoming removal of poker machines from its premises.
"This is a momentous move forward for veterans and the whole community," he said.
Mr Hardy did not believe the removal of poker machines from the venue will jeopardise its viability.
"We've got to be clear about what Tasmania RSL is about, we are about the benefit of veterans."
"I can't see a negative in this.
"In regards to Devonport if we provide more services to them they haven't got to provide them themselves."
Support for removal of pokies
The Burnie RSL, also in the state's north-west, decided to remove its 18 poker machines in 2015.
Ian Jones from the Burnie RSL said it was a good decision.
"We hardly had any negative feedback," he said
"We're a community club so we didn't feel that poker machines and community club could belong in the same sentence."
He said overall, the club did not feel poker machines were "a good fit".
"On the economic front they were very labour intensive to support, they were very energy intensive as well and really the return on investment, whilst positive, it wasn't something that we thought was significant.
"We thought it was better to make the room into a museum-style operation and a function room.
"Moving on from that we have dedicated the room to Cameron Baird, who's the recipient of the Victoria Cross, who was born in Burnie.
"We feel that's a much better way to commemorate his achievements than by feeding gambling addictions."
He also welcomed the removal of poker machines from the nearby Devonport branch.
"It's a good move and it will probably help bring a different style of clientele to their operation'" he said.
Independent Federal MP Andrew Wilkie said the decision by the RSL was great news.
"It's real credit to the RSL down here that they understand the harm caused by these machines," he said.
"I think it returns the RSL more to its core role and it's good also for the RSL to be setting an example and frankly it's an example that pubs in the state should be paying attention to."
