By VANESSA VALENZUELA
GAMBLERS poured more than $11 million into Brimbank’s pokies in November last year, the lowest monthly total spent on the municipality’s machines in the last 10 months.
The latest figures from the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation (VCGR) reveal punters spent more than $59 million on pokies in Brimbank between July and November last year, cementing Brimbank’s place as the state’s biggest pokies loser.
Gamblers spent $145 million on Electronic Gaming Machines (EGMs) in Brimbank during the past financial year, with an increase of more than $6 million since 2010.
Brimbank residents spent an average of $970 per person on pokies during the last financial year, higher than the state average of $602.
WestEnd Market Hotel on McIntyre Road collected $17 million from punters playing on 88 licenced EGMs at the venue during the 12-month period.
Both the Kealba Hotel and Deer Park Hotel took more than $18 million from Brimbank gamblers with Watergardens Hotel and Taylors Lakes Family Hotel each taking about $15 million.
There are currently 976 electronic gaming machines at 15 hotels and clubs in Brimbank, with 276 located at five gaming venues in Sunshine.
Brimbank City Council’s Acting General Manager of Community Well-being John MacDonagh said Brimbank experienced the highest level of municipal losses on pokies in Victoria last financial year.
“While the costs of problem gambling on individuals and their families may be known to many, the full impact and costs associated with problem gambling on broader society may not be so apparent,” he said.
He said council’s electronic gambling policy identified the detrimental impact of problem gambling on personal and community well-being in Brimbank.
“Council is keen to ensure that residents have access to responsive state-funded support and counselling services in Brimbank to help people overcome problem gambling,” he said.
“Council supports the efforts of EGM venues to prevent problem gambling and provide information that links people to local gamblers help and counselling services that can help problem gamblers recover.”
