The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation will hear the application on April 18.

The club, at Dower Park, picked up 12 extra machines in the state government’s auction of gaming machine entitlements last year.

If approved, the club will have 60 poker machines.

St Luke’s CEO David Pugh said as a community Bendigo had enough pokies. St Luke’s is part of a group of faith-based social service agencies fighting plans for 68 more pokies earmarked for Bendigo.

The increase means Bendigo will have 615 pokies.

Mr Pugh said the City of Greater Bendigo’s decision to not oppose the club’s pokies was based on the council’s planning scheme. “We’re not so much saying which places shouldn’t have pokies, we’re saying no more in Bendigo,” he said.

Between July and December last year the club made more than $1.3 million.

The council was divided on the club’s application and took a neutral position.

Kangaroo Flat ward councillor Barry Lyons supported the application because the club supported local people and most profits went back into the community.

But Eaglehawk ward councillor Peter Cox said it was a contradiction to say that the council provided for the wellbeing of the community while at the same time supporting the social problems of others.

“You don’t exploit one group to enhance another group,” he said.