The Maribyrnong Council has decided to revamp its current poker machine laws, tightening them in disadvantaged areas. The council hopes to reduce the number of pokies games in areas such as Braybrook, where the average losses per person were $3200 last year.

The new policy will not only attempt to reduce the number of Electronic Gaming Machines in disadvantaged areas; it will also reduce the convenience of playing these games. The policy will also seek to redesign gaming venues, so that playing Electronic Gaming Machines is not encouraged.

A recent report concluded that Maribyrnong residents lost over $56 million on gaming machines during the 2010-2011 year, an increase from 2009's $52 million. This means that residents in the area spend $986 per person on pokies every year, a significantly higher figure than the national average of $611.

Dr. Charles Livingstone, a social sciences professor at Monash University, believes that it is unfair that city councils have no power when it comes to poker machines. He states that councils should have the power to dictate how pokies are distributed across the area, and it seems that the Maribyrnong Council is attempting to gain that power.

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.