Monash punters lose massive amount at pokies, clubs defend them

MORE than $300,000 a day was lost at poker machines across Monash in 2017-18, but the clubs say a lot of it is returned to the community.

PUNTERS lost more than $306,000 a day on Monash pokies in the last financial year.

The city came an unenviable fifth in the state for money lost — with almost $112 million — but it only went up by 2.5 per cent compared to 3.3 per cent across the state.

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Alliance for Gambling Reform director Tim Costello applauded Monash Council’s work in campaigning for reform, particularly the recent engagement with Hawthorn Football Club, who won the AFL ‘pokies premiership’ thanks largely to $10.95 million lost at its Vegas at Waverley Gardens venue.

“All councils should follow the Monash lead of sending strong messages opposing the harmful gambling industry, including by refusing to fund community groups which meet in pokies venues,” he said.

Mayor Paul Klisaris said the council remained “deeply frustrated and concerned” about the large numbers of poker machines and its losses in Monash, as well as “the highest concentration of machines in our most disadvantaged communities”.

“The council’s concern is particularly for those most vulnerable in our community who can least afford to carry the burden of gambling losses,” he said.

The most money lost in Monash was at Mulgrave Country Club, with more than $12.3 million.

Mayors from across Melbourne campaigned against poker machines outside State Parliament.

Mr Costello called on the club’s board to “take proactive steps to cut these losses to below $10 million in 2018-19 in order to help Monash achieve an overall reduction in pokies losses”.

“It would also be good to see the famous Oakleigh Chargers TAC Cup club sever its relationship with the Mulgrave Country Club so that its hugely successful male and female AFL development program can be delivered untainted by the gambling dollar,” he said.

Oakleigh Chargers talent manager Craig Notman said Mulgrave Country Club had been “really supportive” of the club.

“Their sponsorship has a large bearing on what we can do in our program,” he said.

Mulgrave Country Club general manager Kerry Scarlett said Mr Costello failed to acknowledge that the majority of recreational gamblers do not have a problem with the gambling.

She said any surplus money from gambling was funnelled back into community such as the Waverley Benevolent Society and the Cerebral Palsy Education Centre.

Ms Scarlett said $170,000 was given to sporting clubs, schools and community group in the past 12 months.

A Hawthorn Football Club spokeswoman, who refused to be named, said it took its responsibilities around gaming “very seriously”, having signed the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation’s gaming charter in 2014.