GAMBLERS poured about $80 million into electronic gaming machines in Kingston in the past financial year.
Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation figures show Kingston pokies losses totalled $79,825,384 from July 2013 until the end of June this year, up nearly $1 million compared with $78,986,274 in the twelve months of 2012-13.
The mounting losses come despite ATMs being removed from gaming machine venues in 2012 in a state government bid to limit problem gamblers’ losses.
Kingston Council formally adopted its Gambling Policy and Action Plan 2014-2019 at May’s council meeting, after deciding to update its 2002 policy.
Community feedback was sought over several months before the updated policy was implemented.
Cr David Eden expressed disappointment at the time that council was not taking a more proactive approach to tackling problem gambling in the community, but acknowledged federal and state governments had more power to act to curb pokies operations.
“At this level of government there’s not a lot we can do,” he said.
Analysis of VCGLR data reveals Kingston gamblers lost most money on pokies at Dingley International Hotel where $14,660,687 was ploughed into electronic gaming machines.
Moorabbin’s Sandbelt Club Hotel coined in $12,117,632 as the second most profitable pokies venue.
Pokies players lost an average of about $6.5 million per month at gaming venues over the financial year.
Kingston Mayor, Cr Paul Peulich, had cautioned council taking a “harder line on gambling” when council adopted its formal policy.
“It is a complex issue that does impact on families,” he said.
“But if Kingston Council took a harder line on gambling we’d be declaring war on some of our local clubs who have gaming machines in their venues on council land.”
Councillors left an option open to amend council’s policy before 2019 if required.
Council’s Gambling Policy and Action Plan states: “Council is concerned about the high density of EGMs in the municipality, the amount lost ($80M in 2012/13) and the negative impacts on the community resulting from problem gambling. Council will therefore seek opportunities to reduce the density of EGMs in the municipality.”
In December last year councillors decided not to oppose Chelsea-Edithvale RSL’s application to add 15 EGMs to its gaming rooms, taking the total number there to 80.
The RSL was exercising an option to transfer unused licences held by the former Edithvale-Aspendale RSL before its merger with Chelsea RSL two years ago.
VCGLR figures show Edithvale-Chelsea RSL’s pokies revenue rose from $3,308,480 in 2012-13 to $3,633,649 in 2013-14.
An Australian Institute of Family Studies research released late last month found a possible link between exposure to gambling early in life to becoming a problem gambler.
Research centre manager Dr Anna Thomas said some types of gambling appeared to be more harmful than others.
“Higher risk gamblers recalled different types of exposure, for example seeing a parent play the pokies excessively,” Dr Thomas said.
“Parents modelled this very frequent and excessive gambling as normal behaviour.”
Lottery tickets, family card games or betting on the Melbourne Cup were found to be “common experiences” within Australian families, and were found to be less harmful than seeing parents play pokies or regularly attend race meetings.
In the preface to Kingston Council’s Gambling Policy and Action Plan the Mayor said: “Council acknowledges that gambling is a legal activity and that it should be a safe and enjoyable recreational pursuit.
However, council also recognises the negative impact that problem gambling can create for some people, their families and the broader community.
A harm minimisation approach to gambling is essential to reduce the negative impacts of problem gambling being experienced by some members in the community.
The issue of gambling is a whole of community responsibility, and council is looking forward to working with residents, social support services, organisations, community groups and other stakeholders to improve the health and wellbeing of our community.”
The federal Coalition government has vowed to introduce pre-commitment technology on gaming machines by the end of next year in a further attempt to try to minimise problem gamblers’ pokies losses.
