Pokies losses total $63.5m in Moreland over latest 12 month period

Spending is down on pokies in Moreland’s 12 venues, new figures show, in a move that has pleased anti-gambling campaigners. But gamblers still poured $429 per person into the machines each day.

Gamblers lose $5.3 million at Glenroy RSL in the data period. Picture: David Crosling

People in Moreland spent slightly less on pokies in the past financial year but losses are still too high according to Moreland Council.

At Moreland’s 12 venues with poker machines, $63.5 million was lost in the past financial year on 641 machines, according to the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation.

In the previous financial year, $64.2 million was lost in the same venues.

Coburg’s Browns Corner had $5.2 million lost on its 35 machines.

Coburg North’s First and Last Hotel led the venues with $9.6 million lost, followed by Coburg’s Drums Hotel ($8.9m) and Brunswick’s Moreland Hotel ($8m).

The council said those losses amounted to about $429 for every adult in Moreland, or $174,427 per day.

Moreland mayor Natalie Abboud said there was work to be done to reduce harm to the community.

“We have had some wins in the past 12 months, with a successful campaign to remove ten pokies from the Glenroy RSL and fostering a strong partnership with the Brunswick Hockey Club to make their club a no-pokies zone. However there is still much more to do,” she said. “These recent figures tell us that there are still too many people in our Moreland community that are at risk from the negative impacts of problem gambling.”

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Alliance for Gambling Reform spokesman Tim Costello said the State Government needed to act and compared the health impact of pokies to now banned practices like smoking in public bars.

“Smoking in bars was once pervasive in Victoria, not unlike the scourge that is poker machines,” he said.

WHERE THE MONEY WAS SPENT

• First and Last Hotel, Coburg North - $9.6 million on 64 machines (as of June 30).
• Drums Hotel, Coburg - $9 million, 75 machines.
• Moreland Hotel, Brunswick - $8 million, 70 machines.
• Duke of Edinburgh, Brunswick - $7.5 million, 50 machines.
• Pascoe Vale Taverner Hotel, Pascoe Vale - $5.8 million, 42 machines.
• Glenroy RSL, Glenroy - $5.4 million, 40 machines.
• Browns Corner, Coburg - $5.3 million, 35 machines.
• Northcote Park Football Club, Brunswick - $4.2 million, 85 machines.
• Pascoe Vale RSL, Pascoe Vale - $3.2 million, 47 machines.
• Abruzzo Club, Brunswick East - $2.3 million, 55 machines.
• The Brunswick Club, Brunswick - $1.8 million, 43 machines.
• Fawkner RSL, Fawkner - $1.5 million, 35 machines.