Squeeze on gamblers

Dandenong gamblers will soon face a limit on how much money they can withdraw over the bar at all Victorian gaming venues.
Eftpos cash withdrawals will be limited to $500 within a 24-hour period in new measures announced by the state government this week.
Cashing cheques at gaming venues will also be banned.
Gaming venues are already barred from having ATM but have allowed over-the-bar cash withdrawals of $200 a transaction.
The new cap will be felt in the Greater Dandenong area which has one of the highest rate of electronic gaming machines per adult in the state.
Dandenong gamblers lost a whopping $118 million from July 2016 to June 2017, according to a Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation report released in August.
Those in Casey recorded a $127 million loss.
“This is about protecting people and helping those who choose to gamble stick to their limits,” Gaming Minister Marlene Kairouz said in a statement.
Greater Dandenong residents spent $975 per adult on gaming in 2015-16, 76.2 per cent higher than the state average.