By Vanessa Chircop
THE average adult resident in Hobsons Bay dropped $747 on electronic gaming machines in the 2010-2011 financial year.
That’s $1.5 million more than in the previous financial year.
The latest figures, from the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation (VCGR), show residents spent more than a whopping $51.3 million dollars last year compared to $49.8 million in 2010.
Hobsons Bay has 579 electronic gaming machines across 10 venues, with the most popular venue being the Millers Inn Hotel in Altona North.
The venue, which houses 70 pokie machines, raked in almost $13.5 million last year – more than $1 million more than in the previous financial year.
Altona Sports Club in Seaholme houses 83 gaming machines – the most in the municipality.
Despite this, punters only dropped $4.1 million at the venue – making it the fifth most profitable venue in Hobsons Bay.
According to the figures, October has remained the most profitable month for venues, grossing the highest expenditure for a second year running.
Hobsons Bay adults spent $134 more on poker machine expenditure compared to the Victorian average.
Compared to surrounding municipalities, such as Wyndham and Brimbank, Hobsons Bay’s poker machine expenditure is relatively low.
Wyndham residents spent $85.9 million on gaming machines but spent $17 less than the average Hobsons Bay resident.
Brimbank residents dropped a whopping $139.3 million on their 943 gaming machines – that’s an average of $1004 per adult resident.
