By ANEEKA SIMONIS
SOME $23 million has been gambled away on poker machines across Cardinia Shire in the last 12 months.
According to the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation’s latest figures, gamblers are estimated to have poured $1.8 million extra into local pokies between July last year and June this year, compared with the previous financial year.
The Cardinia Club in Pakenham appears to have been punters’ venue of choice, with more than $10.4 million being drained from their pockets, followed by Zagame’s Cardinia Hotel where $5.35 million was gambled away.
Gaming machines at the Pakenham Hotel took $4.34 million, followed by the Pakenham Sports Club where $1.19 million was pumped into their pokies.
The figures, which are yet to be finalised, do not factor in the amount gambled away in June – estimated to be no less than $1.77 million based on the minimum monthly recorded spend.
Without the June figures, the annual gambled total sits at $21.26 million.
The estimated eight per cent increase in money gambled in the shire was concerning according to Victorian Responsible Gambling Ministerial Advisory Council member Dr Mark Zirnsak, who said the numbers should be trending down.
“The number of people gambling is decreasing … pokies gambling dropped about a third in the past 15 years,” he said, suggesting those who did gamble were spending more on their average session.
The increase trumps the average rate of inflation at about 2.4 per cent – another concern highlighted by Dr Zirnsak, who argued more needed to be done to reduce the behaviour, including $1 bet limits and restricted opening times for pokies venues.
He argued midnight until 10am was the riskiest time for problem punters, who often gambled away more than money.
“Severe implications of gambling include marriage breakdown, loss of housing, and people turning to crime,” said Dr Zirnsak, who also spoke on the mental impacts of gambling.
Last month, Cardinia Shire Council applied to amend their gaming policy plan to prohibit gaming machines in existing strip shopping centres and free-standing shopping centres as a measure of reducing the opportunity for convenience gambling in the area.
The proposal awaits approval by the Minister for Planning.
SO WHERE DID ALL THE MONEY GO?
Pokies losses in Cardinia Shire between July 2014 – June 2015
CARDINIA CLUB – $10,432,172
ZAGAME’S CARDINIA HOTEL – $5,352,809
PAKENHAM HOTEL – $4,234,984
PAKENHAM SPORTS CLUB – $1,197,898
CARDINIA PARK HOTEL – TBC
