A pair of Greater Dandenong councillors have proposed advocating for a ban on further local poker machines as well as gambling ads in response to massive gambling losses in the council area.
Councillors Rhonda Garad and Lana Formoso pitched for stronger action at a 10 June council meeting after the tabling of Greater Dandenong’s Gambling Policy report which estimated nearly $340 million of annual gambling losses in Greater Dandenong.
The item was deferred for further discussion.
Cr Garad proposed that the council writes to Bruce federal MP Julian Hill and “push” federal and state government to ban gambling ads – one of the recommendations in a 2023 House of Representatives Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs report (the Murphy Report).
In response, Hill says the Albanese Government has already undertaken the most “significant national gambling harm reduction measures in Australia’s history”.
“The parliamentary inquiry into online gambling was an important and ambitious contribution driven by my friend and colleague the late Peta Murphy.
“The Government is continuing to work through the 31 recommendations of the inquiry to ensure further reforms are effective at minimising harm and protecting communities.”
He listed the establishment of mandatory ID verification for online gambling, a ban on credit card use for online gambling, launching BetStop amongst many other things.
The national advocacy organisation, Alliance for Gambling Reform has also escalated its campaign to push for an ad ban on gambling.
The report, ‘You win some, you lose more,’ was chaired by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy filed in 2023.
It made 31 recommendations including the appointment of a minister responsible for online gambling harm reduction and to fund an ongoing public education campaign on online gambling.
Cr Formoso suggested to advocate for an immediate cessation of the 61 unused electronic gaming machines (EGM) under the Greater Dandenong region’s pokies cap.
There are 928 electronic gaming machines in 14 pubs and clubs in the municipality, less than the cap of 989.
Before the item was deferred, the council’s chief executive officer Jacqui Weatherill said they can advocate for that however they have no power to “immediately cease” the installation of more EGMs.
Despite being a low socio-economic area, City of Greater Dandenong has the second-highest pokies losses per adult in Victoria, with gamblers spending $138 million on EGMs in 2023-’24, according to the council report.
This is equivalent to $1,089 per adult, or losses of $378,000 a day. It is also equal to the cost of adequately feeding 46,000 children for
a whole year.
Problem gambling was causing financial hardship, poverty, personal stress, family conflict and violence, deceptive actions to obtain money, distraction from work responsibilities, and homelessness in Greater Dandenong, according to the report.
“Gambling problems tend to be most prevalent among younger people, those with limited formal education, on lower incomes or in menial occupations.”
Fueled by prevalent advertising, there was also concern about the rise of sports betting on smart phones especially among young adults.
“The gambling industry claims that it supports the community and creates jobs.
“However, studies conducted by the State and Federal Governments have shown that jobs created in the gambling industry are matched by reduced employment in other businesses.”
In 2023-’24, just 1.6 per cent of Greater Dandenong venues’ gambling revenue was donated to the community as gifts, donations, sponsorships and support for veterans, the report stated.
