Odds ‘not favourable’

GREATER Dandenong councillors have been endowed with planning powers to control the number of poker machines in the city.
But the city’s mayor says more needs to be done if Greater Dandenong’s problem gambling is to be eliminated.
Under the Bracks Government’s new five-year gaming strategy announced last week, the council will now have full planning control over gaming machine numbers by requiring a planning permit for any additional gaming machines in the city.
Greater Dandenong is also one of six municipalities to have a cap on the number of gaming machines allowed, with a maximum ratio of 10 machines to 1000 people.
“This will result in the removal of 89 machines,” Greater Dandenong mayor Peter Brown said.
But the mayor said caps and increased planning powers alone would not be enough to conquer problem gambling in Greater Dandenong.
“This announcement is a step in the right direction but more needs to be done to tackle the issues facing gaming losses in our municipality,” he said.
“It still concerns us greatly that in the 2005-06 financial year, $106 million was lost to electronic gambling machines throughout the 16 venues located across the city.”
The State Government is also introducing ‘consumer protection measures’ that will come into place by 2010.
A statement released by the government says protection measures will include halving the maximum bet from $10 to $5, reducing the amount of money that can be entered at the start of play, and removing ATMs from gaming venues that do not have a $400 maximum withdrawal cap.
Its gaming package also includes funding for gambling awareness and research programs.