By Oliver Lees
More than $72 million was spent at poker machines in Hume in 2020-21, new Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation data reveals.
The municipality is home to 14 gaming venues, including the Royal Hotel in Sunbury, where $3.5 million was spent across 31 electronic gaming machines last financial year.
The new data comes as the state government announced it will overhaul the regulation of gambling in Victoria in a bid to minimise harm.
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) will be created to oversee gambling regulation.
The Alliance for Gambling Reform’s chief advocate Tim Costello said a dedicated entity such as the VGCCC has been “desperately needed” to regulate the sector.
“Poker machines are dangerous, they are deliberately designed to be addictive and the businesses that operate them need to be much more closely monitored to ensure they are not exploiting people,” he said.
“With poker machines seemingly available everywhere, we are dealing with hundreds of mini casinos in our suburbs and towns… because of regulatory loopholes being exploited by the gambling industry.
“We hope that this new body will look closely at these loopholes and others, and bring them to the attention of the government for regulatory and legislative action to be taken.”
The VGCCC will comprise specialist staff and will take into account the findings of the Royal Commission into the Casino Operator and Licence to finalise its regulatory arrangements. These findings are expected in October.
Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation Minister Melissa Horne said the commission was a step in the right direction.
“We said we’d take action to strengthen… oversight, and that’s what we’re doing with the establishment of a new gambling and casino regulator,” Ms Horne said.
