Wyndham council has slammed a Victorian Commission for Gambling and Regulation (VCGLR) decision to allow an extra 10 poker machines at The Tigers Clubhouse.
Werribee Football Club, which runs the Old Geelong Road venue, has been successful in its application for an increase in poker machines from 75 to 85, arguing that revenue generated by the additional machines would help to ensure the continued viability of the club.
The new machines form part of a $1.69 million redevelopment proposed for the venue, with plans lodged through Wyndham council earlier this month.
In handing down its decision earlier this month, the VCGLR has ordered Werribee Football Club to allocate $25,000 to Wyndham not-for-profit community groups and sports organisations for each year the extra machines operate. This is on top of an annual $75,000 paid out to Wyndham community groups and sports clubs.
Councillor Josh Gilligan, who chairs the council’s gambling reference advisory group, said the commission’s decision would harm the local community.
“In the 2016-17 financial year alone, our community lost $97 million on pokies,” Cr Gilligan said. “That’s $275,000 being funnelled out of our community every single day.
“Wyndham is ranked eighth out of 70 local government areas for electronic gaming machine losses in Victoria. The VCGLR’s own figures also show that gambling losses by Wyndham adults are increasing almost eight times faster than the Victorian average.
“We cannot afford to have more of these machines in our municipality, which is exactly why council is in the process of developing the Wyndham Gambling Harm Minimisation Policy and Action Plan.”
The Werribee Football Club did not respond to requests for comment by deadline.
