Helena Abdou
Residents in Hume and Whittlesea spent a combined $135 million on electronic gaming machines (EGMs) from July 2021 to March 2022.
Almost half of that figure was spent in Whittlesea, with $67,057,280.73 lost on pokie machines.
Over $12.7 million was spent in March alone.
Hume residents spent $12.6 million on poker machines in March, leaving the council “greatly concerned” by the municipality’s spending.
Recent data released from the Victorian Commission for Gaming and Liquor Regulation indicated Hume had lost $68,714,140.05 on electronic gaming machines (EGMs) over the course of seven months.
Hume community services director Hector Gaston believes there is a strong correlation between gaming losses and disadvantaged people.
“Hume city has a higher-than-average socio-economic disadvantage (socio-economic indexes for areas) index within Victoria, which acts as an indicator of social and economic stressors within Hume communities,” Mr Gaston said.
Craigieburn Residents’ Association President Debra Phippen said the problem was worsening due to the easy availability of EGMs.
“The government allows for the increase in poker machines based on greed, and certainly gives no regard to the effect increased availability of these machines will have on the lives of Hume residents,” she said.
Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate Tim Costello said Victorians lost nearly $1 billion in the past four months and over $257 million in March alone.
“It’s staggering that the Victorian Labor Government continues to allow this predatory industry to operate with such reckless disregard for our wellbeing when it is causing so much harm to communities across the state,” Mr Costello said.
“Many of the LGAs with the highest losses are also some of the most stressed communities. It’s clear that the industry’s business model is built upon exploiting the most vulnerable among us to inflate their profits.”
