Victoria likes to consider itself Australia’s most progressive state - but not when it comes to gambling harm. With addictive poker machines features such as losses disguised as wins still in play, Victoria is trailing behind its Queensland and Tasmanian counterparts.
In Victoria, poker machines can be running up to 20 hours a day at a suburban venue. Our research shows that venues stagger their opening hours so that it is possible to gamble 24/7 - unlike any other state in Australia.
That's why we've launched a campaign call 'End Gambling Harm After Dark' to have all Victorian poker machines turned off between 2am and 6am.
Join us - our resources page has information you can share, and our petition is here for you and your friends to sign.
Let's end gambling harm after dark in Victoria.
In 2019, the last full year of data due to pandemic lockdowns, our state lost $2.7 billion in poker machine losses. This doesn't even include the losses occurring in Crown Casino, whose poker machines annually take around $460 million alone. That's over $3.15 billion annually! We have seen these losses increase month by months following the pandemic and we all calling from immediate action from the Victorian Government.
Each day, the gambling industry are taking $8.6 million in poker machine losses from Victorians.
Data shows that the gambling industry exploit communities that are already highly stressed, and can least afford the additional problems poker machines create.
Following the Royal Commission into Crown Casino we're calling on the government to implement all of the recommendations not only in the casino, but in pubs and clubs too.
A key recommendation we are pushing be implemented in pubs and clubs is universal pre-commitment - to find out more read our blog post here.
Victorians are actively campaigning for reforms that prioritise harm minimisation and prevention, and empower communities and those with lived experience of the harm caused by gambling. We're joined by our 22 Victorian Leadership Councils, who are working with us to regulate an industry that preys on members of our communities.
We've had some fantastic wins, but we need to keep the pressure on!