Gambling
in
Victoria
1
© VLGA 2010
Gambling in Australia
• $19 billion lost on gambling in 2008/2009
• $12 billion on the pokies
2
© VLGA 2010
Gambling in Victoria
• Electronic Gaming Machines (pokies)
• Crown Casino
• Wagering (racing and sports betting)
• Lotteries
• Club Keno
3
© VLGA 2010
Regulation of gambling in Victoria
• Gambling in Victoria is regulated by the
Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor
Regulation (VCGLR)
• Online Gambling is regulated by the
Commonwealth through the Interactive
Gambling Act 2001
4
© VLGA 2010
Legal gambling losses in Victoria
2011-12, $m
Casino, 957.2,
29%
EGMs, 1638.7,
49%
Wagering, 482.6,
14%
Lotteries, 281.4,
8%
Club Keno, 3.5,
0.1%
5
© VLGA 2010
Taxation raised from gambling in Victoria
2011-12, $m
Casino, 195.3,
12%
EGMs, 886.2,
55% + 125.7
Health Benefits
Levy
Wagering,
136.5, 9%
Lotteries , 386.7,
24%
Club Keno, 1.7,
0.1%
6
© VLGA 2010
Electronic Gaming Machines – EGMs
As of 30 June 2012:
• There are 26,778 EGMs in Victoria, located in
509 venues
• Total losses of over $2.68 billion for 2011-2012
• The average net losses per adult were $601
• The adult population per venue is 8,756
7
© VLGA 2010
Why focus on EGMs?
• Represent 40% of total losses of
problem gamblers
• High level of convenience - 90% of
people living in metropolitan
Melbourne reside within 2.5 kms of an
EGM venue
• Major impact on vulnerable
communities - Braybrook, 2nd most
disadvantaged suburb in Victoria - high
EGM losses - $15.5m in 2011-12
8
© VLGA 2010
EGM caps
• Victorian Government introduced EGM caps in 2001 and
extended them across Victoria in 2006
• Currently EGM Caps on 19 regions - set at a maximum of
10 EGMs per 1000 people
• Caps are intended to protect vulnerable communities from
the harmful effects of gambling
• Caps will be reviewed by the State Government in
October 2014
9
© VLGA 2010
EGM caps
10
© VLGA 2010
EGM caps
11
© VLGA 2010
Deregulation of EGM licences
12
•
Ownership and distribution of EGM licences has been
deregulated since August 2012
•
EGM Licences now owned by clubs and pubs across
Victoria
•
The new arrangements will mean that EGMs licences will
move around the State
•
Will lead to an increase in the number of applications from
venues seeking to increase their EGM numbers
© VLGA 2010
EGM venue management
13
•
Limit of 105 EGMs per venue
•
ATMs banned from venues – replaced by EFTPOS
machines which have no withdrawal limit
•
Standard ‘pokies’ signs outside venues
•
Venue staff trained to assist problem gamblers
•
Restrictions on venue design and signage that
encourages gambling
© VLGA 2010
EGM pre-commitment
14
•
Involves EGM gamblers committing to restricting
the amount of money they bet in each session
•
Recommended by Productivity Commission Report
into gambling along with $1 bet limits per play on
machines
•
Federal Government reneged on deal with
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie to introduce
mandatory pre-commitment - will instead establish
trial of mandatory pre-commitment in the ACT
© VLGA 2010
Issues facing councils managing EGMs
15
•
Increase in losses, particularly in vulnerable
communities
•
Increase in number and concentration of EGMs,
particularly in uncapped areas
•
Loss of appeals on decisions – number of cases
rejected by the VCGLR and VCAT
•
Lack of funding and resources to appeal against decisions
or develop Local Planning Policies
© VLGA 2010
Problem gambling
Industry
behaviour
Venue features
Games features
Help services
Problem
gambling
Accessibility
Information
Government
behaviour
16
© VLGA 2010
Gambler
characteristics
and behaviour
Impacts of problem gambling
Problem gamblers
Their families
Loss of income,
anxiety, depression,
other addictions,
poor health, mental
illness, suicide
Household budget
pressures, housing
stress, food security
problems,
relationship
breakdown, family
violence
The local
community
↑ social and economic
disadvantage
↑ social exclusion problem gamblers and
their families withdraw
from the local
community
↑ in crime
17
© VLGA 2010
Impacts of problem gambling
• The VCEC Inquiry into problem gambling estimates that
the total economic cost of problem gambling in the
community was between $1.5 and $2.7 billion in 201011
• The vast majority of the quantifiable costs comes from
two sources:
1. Costs associated with financial losses to problem
gamblers - $1 billion to $1.4 billion
2. The intangible costs associated with impacts on
mental wellbeing for problem gamblers and their
families $400 million to $1.2 billion
18
© VLGA 2010
Role of local government
in managing EGMs
Harm minimisation
Protecting
vulnerable
communities
from impacts of
problem
gambling
19
© VLGA 2010
Reducing
convenient
access to EGM
venues
What can councils do?
POLICY
Develop a social policy on gambling
Include gambling in Municipal Public Health Plans
ADVOCACY
Victorian and Commonwealth Governments, VLGA
Local Government Working Group on Gambling and
other forums
REGULATION
Council can regulate the management of EGMs through
Local Planning Scheme Policy and Differential Council
Rates for EGM venues
20
© VLGA 2010
Impact of EGM gambling
in (insert council name)
21
•
Statistics on number venues and number of EGMs in
the municipality
•
Statistics on losses from EGM venues and losses per
adult, compared to other municipalities
•
Impact of EGM gambling on vulnerable communities
© VLGA 2010