Australians spend more than $20 billion on gambling every year – and around $13 billion is squandered on pokies.
In response, the National Alliance for Gambling Reform has been launched.
The Alliance for Gambling Reform builds on the work of the Enough Pokies campaign, which was established in the lead up to the Victorian State election in 2014, and widely supported by Victorian Councils.
Hobsons Bay Councillor Sandra Wilson (who is also the Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) Chair for the Local Government Working Group on Gambling) said the campaign was an effective starting point in raising awareness around electronic gaming machines.
“We are advocating for government reform to curb poker machine use among the most vulnerable in our community.
“Councils must adopt a united approach to pokies regulation, because Australians spend more per person on gambling than any other country in the world.
“With an average of $651 lost to pokies per person in Hobsons Bay each year, we know the devastating depth of this problem in our community.
“Pokie machines are targeted at the most vulnerable communities in a cruel and contemptible way.
“Pokies are designed to rob, hurt and destroy – why do we put up with it?
The Alliance for Gambling Reform is being supported by the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), Salvation Army, VLGA and others, and will work with councils to press for regulatory changes to the licensing system. This will cover the location of poker machines to protect vulnerable communities being targeted and introducing a maximum $1 bet.
