MILLION POKIES SHAME

Geelong has one of its worst 12 months for losses despite fewer machines:

POKIES are draining almost $10 million from Geelong’s pockets each month, in what is verging on our worst year for electronic gaming machine losses, new figures show.

In the first five months of the 2017-18 financial year, the City of Greater Geelong has dumped $49.4 million into the city’s electronic gaming machines (EGMs), heading towards an annual loss of $118.6 million.

The Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation statistics show there has only been one occasion where the city has lost more; when we spent $119.8 million on pokies in 2008-09. Geelong has now lost a whopping $2.4 billion to the pokies since their introduction in 1992.

Our latest losses came de- spite the city losing 12 machines between July and November. But, 10 machines will return as part of the Portarlington Golf Club’s upcoming redevelopment, increasing its gaming capacity from 55 to 65 machines.

Alliance for Gambling Reform director Tim Costello said the latest Geelong stats were a major concern, as pokies losses across the state continue to rise.

“The new Geelong council has a challenge to get involved and try to help manage pokies losses down after the encouraging removal of pokies from Kardinia Park by Geelong Football Club,” Mr Costello said.

“When you consider the new Labor policy in Tasmania to remove all pokies from pubs and clubs, plus the likely emergence of Nick Xenophon as kingmaker in the next SA Parliament, it is deeply disappointing that Labor and the Coalition combined to legislate for another 20 years of pokies losses in Victoria.

“The Geelong MPs on both sides of politics should be leading the charge for much stronger measures to reduce pokies harm in the gambling policies which are taken to the 2018 Victorian election.”

In the past full financial year results, for 2016-17, the City of Greater Geelong tallied $114.14 million in pokies losses — the fourth highest of all local government areas. Earlier this month, Victoria’s cap on cash payouts was doubled from $1000 to $2000, meaning punters could feed $2000 straight back into machines.

“The Geelong MPs on both sides of politics should be leading the charge for much stronger measures to reduce pokies harm in the gambling policies which are taken to the 2018 Victorian election.” TIM COSTELLO