Pokies top $1bn mark

By Nathan Johnston
GAMING machine takings in the City of Greater Dandenong have topped the $1 billion mark since they were introduced in Victoria in 1992.
Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation statistics showed losses to pokies at pubs and clubs in Greater Dandenong had reached $103 million in the past year.
It gave the municipality the second highest rate in Victoria behind the Melbourne City Council.
City of Greater Dandenong mayor Maria Sampey said the $1.1 billion in losses equated to $23,000 per household.
She said such high gambling losses placed enormous pressure on families in the area.
“The people who are hurt most by these losses are the children and dependants of gamblers. Gambling contributes to financial pressures, and the effects upon families can include stress, arguments, violence and family breakdown.
“Gambling losses of this scale add to the challenges this community already faces in responding to unemployment, lower incomes and the settlement of recentlyarrived migrants.”
Cr Sampey said the high number of gambling machines in Greater Dandenong was contributing to the losses.
“There are 1,078 machines in clubs and pubs throughout this city, representing 11 machines per 1,000 adults, compared with an average of seven per 1,000 adults across metropolitan Melbourne, and two per 1,000 in Boroondara.”
But Noble Park RSL manager Mark Wilkinson said the revenue generated from gaming machines allowed clubs to give more to community.
“There has been a lot of negative press about gaming, but there are many positives to come out of it that people don’t want to recognise.
“We’ve been able to establish a welfare office for our veterans where we provide the services that they would otherwise have to travel into the city for.
“Our main concern is the welfare of our veterans, but we also support a number of community groups through sponsorship. We get letter after letter of requests for support.
“You can turn over a lot of money in gaming, but you can make it work for the community,” Mr Wilkinson said.
Cr Sampey said the council was looking to reduce the number of machines in the community.
“Council recently made a submission to the State Government Panel on Gaming Machine Caps urging further reductions in gambling machine numbers in this city and other disadvantaged localities,” she said.
Dandenong MP and Gaming Minister John Pandazopoulos said the City of Greater Dandenong was one of five Victorian municipalities to have caps placed on machine numbers.
He said the caps had led to the removal of 400 machines since 2001, and more could follow should the review panel recommend further reductions.
“A report has suggested that the initial reduction in gaming machines may have been too small to have a significant impact, so I have asked the panel to consider this when making recommendations,” he said.
“The caps were put in place in recognition that EGMs (electronic gaming machines) were not distributed evenly across the State and that they potentially may have adverse impacts on vulnerable communities.”
He said the caps would be extended into parts of Casey and Monash.
Advice and support in relation to gambling problems can be obtained from Gamblers’ Help on 1800 156 789.