A Whittlesea taskforce set up to target problem gambling in the municipality has called for a reduction in the number of gaming machines allowed in each venue, particularly those located in shopping centres.
In a submission to the state government’s current review of gaming machine arrangements, the Whittlesea Interagency Taskforce on Gambling said it believes the limit of 105 electronic gaming machines (EGMs) per venue needs to be cut.
The review has sought community views on current and future gaming machine arrangements around Victoria.
The Whittlesea taskforce submission said the suburb was experiencing more harm from gambling because of the large number of venues in shopping centres. While current planning laws don’t allow gaming venues in shopping centres, past legislation permitted them.
“The highest loss venues in Whittlesea are all in shopping centres,” the submission stated.
“Whittlesea does not have particularly high [electronic gaming machine] density, but experiences very high levels of harm because so many machines are in shopping centres, particularly those at Epping Plaza Hotel, the Plough Hotel and the Bundoora Hotel, all of which are in the top 10 high-loss venues in Victoria.”
Whittlesea has 684 gaming machines, with annual revenue of more than $100 million. In 2014-15, the average annual revenue per machine was $148,600, data from the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing reveals.
Epping Plaza Hotel, with 100 machines, recorded the highest take per venue in the state, $21.13 million in 2014-15.
The taskforce also called for no new gaming machine licences to be approved when current licences expire in 2022, believing more licences will negatively impact on the community.
