Victorians have recorded a loss of almost $2.7billion on pokie machines in the last financial year, the highest in a decade.
New research from the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) shows that the losses on Victoria’s 26,384 poker machines is the most since 2008-2009.
It is also an increase of almost $90million from last year.
The record losses comes despite additional funding of more than $11million to the VCGLR, designed to promote the presence of responsible gambling in regional areas.
Victorians have registered a loss of nearly $2.7billion on poker machines in the last financial year, the most in a decade (stock image)
Just over $11million, to be distributed over four years, was given to the VCGLR in the 2017/18 State Budget to increase its presence in regional Victoria.
This resulted in responsible gaming centres being opened in regional towns of Ararat and Sale in March.
The VCGLR says that being locally operated will allow regulators to build a rapport with the community.
Grants of $250,000 have been made available for gambling harm prevention projects in regional Victoria since March by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation.
Despite this, the VCGLR data shows that $80million was lost on electronic gaming machines in regional Victoria in 2017-18, up nearly $3million from the previous year.
Regional areas are being hit harder than before, even though more funding is going into preventative programs
The record losses generated $1.1billion in taxes for the Victorian Government, which doesn’t even factor in the 2600 poker machines at Crown Casino (pictured)
The record losses generated $1.1billion in taxes for the Victorian Government, which doesn’t even factor in Crown Casino’s 2600 poker machines.
The hardest hit area was Brimbank, north-west of Melbourne, which lost $139.5 million to poker machines.
Brimbank includes suburbs like St Albans and Sunshine North, where median incomes are about $230 a week less than the average wage for Victoria.
The Epping Plaza Hotel in Melbourne’s north was the only venue to have more than $20million in losses on its 100 machines.
The Epping Plaza Hotel (pictured) recorded losses of $20.8million on their 100 pokie machines
Tim Costello blames a ‘dirty deal’ between both political parties last year for the spike in losses
Despite a state government stance that they are committed to regulating and enforcing responsible gambling, Tim Costello, the director of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, blames them for the monumental losses, ABC reports.
‘We don’t say use ice responsibly. Well, pokies are the ice of gambling.’
Licenses for poker machine venues were extended from 10 to 20 years following a vote from both major parties last year.
The deal means that venues will be fully licensed to own and operate poker machines until 2042.
In a press conference on the steps of Victorian parliament, Mr Costello called for a reform to poker machine legislation.
The VCGLR has been approached for comment.