Pokies punters blow $17m

POKIES punters in Pakenham blew almost $17 million last year and are on target to lose even more — sparking concerns the community has a gambling problem.
The annual loss equates to $372 for every adult in the Cardinia Shire.
All of the poker machines in the shire are based in Pakenham.
Pakenham has 212 gaming machines operating in four venues.
And plans are in place to raise the stakes even higher with 48 extra machines approved by the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation for a new Castello’s hotel on the Princes Highway, which has planning approval.
Despite Cardinia Shire falling well under the state tolerance level of 10 machines per 1000 adults, the machine density in Pakenham is 14.5 machines per 1000 adults.
Central Ward councillor Kate Lempriere said she was concerned about the number of poker machines in town and the effect they were having on some people in the community.
Cr Lempriere said she was concerned about the impact of pokies on the community.
“Money is being spent on gaming that could be used to feed families,” she said.
Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation figures put the town’s electronic gaming machine turnover at more than $123 million every year.
Cr Lempriere’s concerns come as the council braces itself to cope with recent changes to state planning policy that mean any venue, hotel or club wanting to install gaming machines must now apply to the council for a permit.
Cr Lempriere said it was a big responsibility for the council.
Despite Cardinia’s annual loss per adult being considerably lower than the metropolitan average of $679 per adult, gambling remained a problem, she said.
Reformed gambler and Bass candidate Gabriela Byrne said Pakenham would continue to be a pokies hotspot.
Because Cardinia Shire’s ratio of 4.69 machines per 1000 people was well below the State Government’s 10 per 1000 cap, developers would be keen to establish more venues, Mrs Byrne said.