Clubs Australia says anti-gambling campaigner Tim Costello ''has some explaining to do'' after it produced a photograph of him accepting a cheque for more than $500,000.
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On Wednesday, Mr Costello said Father Chris Riley was ''conflicted'' because he accepted money from the pokies lobby in support of his Youth Off the Streets charity, while acting as the face of a campaign against the Federal Government's poker machine reforms.
Mr Costello and independent MPs Andrew Wilkie and Nick Xenophon criticised Father Riley for supporting the gaming industry campaign.
Clubs Australia executive director Anthony Ball said Mr Costello was being hypocritical after his acceptance of a cheque from the Australian Hotels Association (NSW) for $537,000 on behalf of World Vision.
''Debate on the issue should be about the issue, not about whether Youth Off the Streets received 0.5 per cent of its donations from clubs,'' he said. ''As we now know from the emergence of this secret photograph, Tim Costello is no better despite his recent claims to moral superiority.''
Father Riley's image appears on a Clubs Australia flyer which is to be distributed in electorates held by the ALP and independent MPs in NSW, Victoria and Queensland.
A deal between the Government and Mr Wilkie will see a preset limit placed on poker machine players provided the legislation is passed by Parliament.
The plans have been vociferously opposed by the clubs.
