By CAMERON LUCADOUWELLS
GREATER Dandenong Council has opted not to object against an increase in poker machines at the Albion Hotel, Dandenong.
Lordhaven Pty Ltd, which owns the hotel, has lodged an application with the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation to increase the venue’s pokies numbers from 24 to 30.
In a gaming expenditure report submitted by Lordhaven, about $465,354 is expected to be spent in the extra machines in the first 12 months.
The report translated this amount into a net increase of $169,569 pokies expenditure in Greater Dandenong venues and $33,642 in the local network of council areas.
Lordhaven stated the application would create eight full-time-equivalent jobs and draw 700 extra patrons a week to the venue – 200 to the gaming lounge.
Greater Dandenong community services director Mark Doubleday said the council’s response was considered on a “case-by-case” basis, taking into account its gambling policy and the economic and social impacts.
“The Albion Hotel had an existing planning permit for the additional machines. On balance, the council decided that the likelihood of an objection being sustained at the VCGLR to the increase was not high.”
The council had recently opted not to object to Noble RSL extending its electronic gaming machines cache from 30 to 35.
Those machines were expected to generate more than $450,000 in annual expenditure – of which $22,000 would be new pokies spending in the municipality.
The VCGLR, in accepting the RSL’s application, ruled the “likely social impact … will be positive”, given the club’s veteran welfare program.
However, the commission also noted Greater Dandenong was among the most disadvantaged council areas in the state and “well above” metropolitan Melbourne’s gaming-level averages.
The council is expected to revise its gambling policy as part of a review this year.
“Council’s current gambling policy is currently being reviewed and will be revised during 2014.”
