Punters lost almost $100 million on electronic gaming machines in Wyndham in the year to June 30.
The latest figures from the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation reveal players lost $97.34 million in the 2015-16 financial year across pokies venues in Wyndham.
That’s an increase of 4.5 per cent on the previous year, in which player losses of $93.12 million were recorded.
Mark Zirnsak, a member of the Victorian Responsible Gambling Ministerial Advisory Council and the Victorian Inter-Church Gambling Taskforce, said the “alarming” figures hid a bigger concern – that individual players were losing bigger amounts.
“The number of people playing the pokies is decreasing so those who are gambling are losing more,” he said.
“It’s not just about the losses – it’s who’s losing.
“There’s a small group of people who are suffering increased harm.”
Dr Zirnsak said it was frustrating that state and federal governments were stalling on gambling reform.
But he said he was hopeful newly appointed state Gaming Minister Marlene Kairouz would put reform back on the agenda.
“I’m hopeful the new minister will come up with a new agenda, such as restrictions on opening times, a requirement for staff at pokies venues to intervene and a $1 bet limit,” he said.
The Commercial Taverner in Watton Street recorded the highest player losses in Wyndham.
Punters lost $12.3 million while playing on the venue’s 75 machines in the year to June 30.
Wyndham chief executive Kelly Grigsby said the council was promoting safe and responsible gambling practices.
“While council recognises that for some residents EGMs are a form of leisure and entertainment, we are also very concerned about the significant social harms caused by problem gambling,” Ms Grigsby said.
There are 13 venues with poker machines in Wyndham with a combined total of 893 machines.
