Pokie players in West Mebourne are spending more and more money on gambling. According to a report in the Maribynong & Hobson’s Bay Weekly, the community is home to the highest percentage of problem gamblers in Victoria. The findings were gathered by the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission’s report called ‘Counting the Cost’.  

The aim of the document is to measure the social and economic costs of problem gambling in the state. While the Victorian gambling public generates upwards of $10 billion for the Australian market, local politicians wanted to determine at what cost. Researchers found that the cost of problem gambling could be nearly $3 billion every year, as there are 30 000 problem gamblers in Victoria.

The highest percentage of problem gamblers in the state is in Northwest Melbourne. 40% of all of Victoria’s problem gamblers reside in this area. The most pokie losses occur in Maribyrnong. During the last year, players in Maribyrnong  lost $52.8 million on gaming machines. $14.5 million was spent on pokies in Braybrook, which is one of the most disadvantaged areas in Melbourne.

‘‘The problem is severe in western suburbs where those who can least afford it are losing the most,” says Greens MP Colleen Hartland. Fortunately, the Victorian government is taking steps to reduce problem gambling rates across the state. The ATM ban, which was introduced in July 2012, has resulted in a significant drop in gambling spending, and local politicians are pleased with the result.

However, more needs to be done in order to ensure that residents of low-income areas do not develop problem gambling. The Greens continue to push $1 betting limits for poker machines, which could be a viable solution. Since Victoria seems to be the most progressive state, with regards to gambling reform, $1 bets may be a possibility at some point in the future.

About the Author

George Anderson
Author George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.