The number of poker machines in the Central Goldfields Shire will be capped as a percentage of the municipality’s population under new measures targeting regions in the state most affected by gambling.
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The move means the number of poker machines in the shire will remain at the current level of 9.9 per 1000 residents.
The shire’s 129 machines took in $928,594.05 in July this year, or $71.36 per person.
Read more: Pokies' community benefits ‘a farce’
Other measures included in the government’s pokies reforms include $500 limits on EFTPOS withdrawals at gaming venues within a 24-hour period and the banning of the practice of cashing cheques at gaming venues.
The changes are part of the Gambling Regulation Amendment (Gaming Machine Arrangements) bill which also aims to address the emergence of cashless gaming by banning the purchase of cashless gaming tickets or credits with a credit card.
The bill also bans any encouragement of players receiving winnings in the form of cashless gaming tickets or credits and creates new powers to impose limits on cashless gaming – such as limits on the amount that can be loaded on to a card or ticket and the amount that can be exchanged for cash.
Anglicare Victoria’s regional director Francis Lynch welcomed the government’s “harm-minimisation approach” in the Central Goldfields region.
“Our gambler’s help team assist around 460 people and families [in the Bendigo region] each year affected by gambling related harm and evidence tells us that only 10 per cent of people seek support,” he said.
“We know that pokies are damaging for local communities and that there are many vulnerable people who are addicted to poker machines.
“We welcome any measures the government and regulators introduce to make it harder for vulnerable people to lose money.”
Gaming and Liquor Regulation Minister Marlene Kairouz said the government had “taken strong action to reduce the harm from gambling on our community”.
“This is about protecting people and helping those who choose to gamble stick to their limits,” she said.
To contact Anglicare’s gambler’s help team call 1800 244 323.