By ALESHA CAPONE
PUNTERS poured more than $6.9 million into Wyndham’s pokies in January this year, the lowest monthly total spent on the area’s machines in eight months.
Figures from the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation show gamblers have spent between $8.13 million to $6.96 million each month in Wyndham since June 2011.
In the 2010-2011 financial year, $730 was spent on every pokies machine in Wyndham, for every adult who lives within the area.
This compares to the Victorian average of $613 per adult.
Wyndham’ City Council CEO Kerry Thompson said the council was currently reviewing its Electronic Gaming Machine Policy and was also developing a Responsible Gambling Strategy, which will be presented at a meeting this month.
“The strategy will outline Wyndham’s position on EGMs and reflect both the community’s and Council’s concerns regarding gambling and its effect on the wellbeing of the community,” Ms Thompson said.
“While Wyndham City is pleased that monthly spending on electronic gaming machines (EGMs) has fallen, we are still concerned with the high rate of expenditure.”
“The Productivity Commission estimates that approximately one per cent of Australian adults experience severe problems with their gambling and an additional two per cent are at moderate risk, meaning that they experience lower levels of harm that may progress to problem gambling.
“This equates to approximately 3000 people in Wyndham who are either at a severe or moderate risk of problem gambling.
“Excessive gambling behaviours can lead to serious social and financial issues and higher expenditure on gaming machines can lead to an increase in crime, especially income-generating offending such as fraud, theft and robbery.
“Problem gambling has also been shown to be strongly linked with other health issues such as depression and anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug dependence and family violence.”
