Zoe Moffatt
Gamblers in Hume lost $104,550,477 to poker machines in the 2021-22 financial year, a 45 per cent increase on the previous year.
The situation prompted a passionate discussion about the harm caused by electronic gaming machines (EGMs) at the council meeting on Monday 27 February.
Cr Sam Misho said he was astonished the latest figures.
“I am astonished and very much concerned to say the least,” he said.
“Hume has ranked the fifth highest local government area for the electronic vending machine losses in Victoria… out of 79 local government areas.”
“We also refer to ourselves as having five of the most disadvantaged suburbs in Victoria.”
Cr Misho said these facts point to a correlation between a high concentration of EGMs and economic disadvantage.
Council’s plan to tackle the issue includes divesting EGMs on council owned or managed land in the next few years.
“This is probably the most significant method we can use because I guess we don’t have the financial power and the commitment when it comes to advertising,” he said, referring to Nielsen Research, which showed $287.2 million was spent on advertising in Australia in 2021 by the gambling industry.
With $388,663 lost per day to pokies in Hume, council is also pushing for the state government to introduce cashless gaming cards.
Cr Misho’s concern was echoed by Cr Jarrod Bell who said the statistics were heartbreaking.
Cr Bell said despite the COVID-19 induced downward trend in gambling losses, the current statistics were up to above pre-COVID levels.
“The COVID induced down trend [gave] us a moment of hope and moment of… possibility that things may be heading in a better direction,” Cr Bell said.
“But then you look at the most current figures and that uptick.”
