Figures reveal which areas of Victoria recorded the biggest pokies losses

Pubs and clubs in some of the most disadvantaged parts of the state are raking in record revenue from pokies in what’s been dubbed a “predatory industry”. See how your area compares.

Victorians lost more than $250 million playing the pokies in March, with pubs and clubs in some of the most disadvantaged suburbs of Melbourne pocketing more than $5 million a months in gambling losses.

Figures released by the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission last week showed gamblers lost $257.3 million, breaking a previous record of $251 million set in November 2021.

The losses marked an increase of more than $36 million compared to the previous month.

Researchers have long warned of the potential for huge losses when pubs and clubs reopened, having seen a sharp decline in problem gamblers seeking help during lockdown.

Gamblers in Brimbank lost more than in any other local council area in the state in March, racking up $15.25 million in losses at 15 pokies venues.

Victorian gamblers lost a record $257.3m on the pokies in March.

Brimbank is home to the most profitable pokies venue in the state, the Kealba Hotel, which typically rakes in more than $7 million a month from its 86 machines.

Brimbank Mayor Jasmine Nguyen said the latest figures were “disheartening news”.

“Brimbank is heavily impacted by gambling harm and we continue to have the highest daily losses of any Victorian local government area for the past decade,” she said.

Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate Tim Costello said some of the biggest losses were recorded in some of Melbourne’s most vulnerable suburbs.

“The industry’s business model is built upon exploiting the most vulnerable among us to inflate their profits,” Rev Costello said.

Long-time anti-gambling campaigner Tim Costello. Picture: Alan Barber

“It’s staggering that the Victorian Labor Government continues to allow this predatory industry to operate with such reckless disregard for our wellbeing when it is causing so much harm to communities across the state.”

The record-setting month follows moves to introduce tighter restrictions at Crown Casino, where gamblers lost $462 million in 2628 poker machines in the year before the pandemic.

Pokies losses at Crown are not included in the monthly data released by the commission.

Rev Costello said: “While it is good to see the government committing to harm reduction measures at Crown we now need to extend them to the pubs and clubs across the state which have been turned into mini-casinos by industry bigwigs.”

A Sydney University study during the pandemic found calls to the gambling helpline halved when pubs, clubs and casinos were closed.

Associate Professor Sally Gainsbury said: “Unfortunately, once venues re-open, without active efforts to address the drivers of problem gambling, many may resume gambling at problematic levels.”