By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
THE City of Casey is ranked second highest for pokies losses in the state, according to the latest statistics released by the Victorian Government.
The Casey local government area (LGA) notched up $64.1 million worth of pokies losses from July to December 2015, falling behind Brimbank which took out the number spot with $75 million.
Greater Dandenong rounded out the top three, falling just short of Casey with a combined pokies loss of $61 million.
The Victorian Government report said that these LGAs are heading towards player losses of more than $100 million in 2015-16.
City of Casey Manager Planning Duncan Turner said Casey sat in the higher expenditure bracket because of its “large adult population”
“The amount of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) per 1000 adults in Casey, is actually lower (4.3EGMs/1000 adults) than the state average (6EGMs/1000 adults),” he said.
“The level of overall expenditure for Casey has remained relatively steady over the past three years, including average adult spend, even when factoring in rapid adult population growth.
“This is due in part to no significant increase in the numbers of new EGMs.”
Mr Duncan said the council’s Electronic Gaming Machine Strategy 2015-2020 seeks to advocate to the State Government to reduce the incidence of problem gambling within Casey.
“Council strongly discourages EGMs in suburbs where the EGM density is higher than the state average, while also not supporting the operation of EGMs within, or neighbouring a facility where the dominant activity focuses on children and young people under the age of 18 years,” he said.
“Council’s position is for no new machines in community areas of high social and economic disadvantage.”
Dr Charles Livingstone, a public-health lecturer at Monash University, previously told Star News that venues had learnt to exploit their machines better, after assuming control when Tatts and Tabcorp were shown the door in 2012.
“They are moving the machines to greater disadvantage – that’s where we’re seeing the greater concentration,” he said.
Dr Livingstone also said ATM withdrawal limits in venues were being circumvented by EFTPOS withdrawals.
He said it was possible for problem gamblers to draw out $200 a time without a limit on the number of transactions.
“Under the new system, you could take out $200 a minute if you wanted to,” Dr Livingstone said.
