Before anyone can crow about the amount of money "saved" by central Victorians not having access to electronic gaming machines since the onset of the pandemic, there needs to be greater scrutiny of other forms of gambling where would be punters might have otherwise turned to.
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Love them or hate them, poker machines have become an entrenched part of many local venues and until COVID-19 made it to our part of the world, thousands of people were drawn for whatever reason to the bright lights of the machines that adorn gaming rooms in premises across the region.
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Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate Reverend Tim Costello has championed the forced shutdown of gaming machines as an event that has delivered considerable savings to both the local economy and community, as well as demonstrating 'the blight of poker machines'.
"We have experienced a silver lining to the pandemic - the shutdown of poker machines has undoubtedly improved lives for people in Bendigo for the better, and perhaps even saved lives," Mr Costello said earlier this week.
While the lure of the pokies has undoubtedly dimmed these past few months, there is no guarantee this isn't a mere temporary circumstance and that people will once again be lured back to the gaming machines when the opportunity in the post COVID-19 world finally presents.
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Given most of us have endured a lot more time in front of a computer screen at home these past few months, it would also be beneficial to know just how other forms of gambling have fared throughout the pandemic.
Whether it's the traditional betting on racing or any other opportunity that exists via our computers and internet access, there is a very real chance that the ease with which the opportunity to have a bet can be facilitated online is an increasingly dangerous one.
The proliferation of gaming-related advertising and its high visibility is an issue the government and industry regulators need to consider in any effort to stem the amount Victorians lose through gambling each and every year.
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