St Luke’s Anglicare, Salvation Army, BaptistCare, CentaCare and Uniting Care have formed a united front to fight an increase of poker machines in Bendigo and will officially launch their campaign, “Enough is Enough”, next month.

An extra 68 pokies are due for Bendigo, following the state government’s controversial auction of gaming machine entitlements.

The increase means that Bendigo will be home to 615 pokies.

The Bendigo Stadium was the big winner, picking up 40 additional gaming machines, increasing its allocation to 115 machines, to go with the 40 it manages at the Borough Club in Eaglehawk.

Bendigo Baptist Com­munity Care director and forum organiser Matthew Parkinson said he could not overstate the importance of limiting the number of poker machines in Bendigo.

“It’s the most disadvantaged that incur the greatest losses, but this affects all of us,” he said.

“This forum has been organised to inform the local community of the social impact the pokies are having on our community.

“It was encouraging to

see the position statement from the Bendigo Business Council and its endorsement of ‘Enough is Enough’.”

Mr Parkinson said the forum was open to everyone, including councillors and business owners.

It will be held on Thursday, August 19, from noon to

1pm at the R.L.Campbell Theatrette next to the Bendigo Library. Guest speaker is inter-church gambling taskforce chairman Mark Zirnsac and there will be time for debate and questions.