Bendigo Baptist Care community director Matthew Parkinson is part of a group of social service agencies that believes the city has enough poker machines.

Mr Parkinson said he would meet with members of the group next week and an objection would be made to the City of Greater Bendigo.

“We have concerns because of the stadium’s proximity to Long Gully and we know it is a low socioeconomic area,” he said.

“It has been openly stated that the funds from the pokies will build a new arena. The majority of these funds are coming from those that can least afford it.

“To say that, the community benefit is a rort.

“To make money from pokies is a poor business model.”

Mr Parkinson said it was time for the community to voice its concerns.

The group is made up of St Luke’s Anglicare, the Salvation Army, BaptistCare, CentaCare and Uniting Care.

The stadium plans to build a $9 million arena with money raised in part by 30 additional poker machines and an application for 30 more poker machines has been lodged with the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation. If approved, the stadium would have 105 machines.

Bendigo Stadium CEO Eric Pascoe and stadium chairman Brendon Goddard said revenue raised by the additional poker machines would provide half the stadium’s funding, with federal, state and council funding making up the rest.

A planning application for stage one of the project has been lodged with the City of Greater Bendigo.

The stand-alone stadium is stage two and would have three arenas with a show court in the centre.