By Olivia Condous
Melton recorded a decrease in electronic gaming machine (EGM) expenditure in May, the first time since February that spending has fallen.
The latest data from the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) revealed that in May, $6.9 million was lost at poker machines in Melton, a 3.9 per cent drop from April when $7.2 million was spent.
While Melton has recorded a drop in money lost, it had the twelfth highest amount of total EGM losses for 2021-22 of all Victorian municipalities and the fourteenth highest amount for the month of May 2022.
Monash University gambling expert Associate Professor Charles Livingstone said it was too early to tell if rising costs of living would prompt a further decline in EGM expenditure.
“[The results] may be a small ‘blip’ because of inflation, or it may indeed signal some progress on harm prevention,” he said.
“If real cost of living exceeds wage rises, we may see a continuation of this trend. However, a recession, triggering unemployment, etc, may see increased spending as people become more stressed and anxious about their future.”
Associate Professor Livingstone believes there are numerous initiatives communities can adopt to reduce gambling stigmas while simultaneously stressing the harms.
“[Avoid] unhelpful terms like ‘problem gambling’, ‘responsible gambling’ and ‘problem gamble’, [focus] on the way EGMs are designed to be addictive, and helping increase awareness of their ability to consume significant amounts of money very quickly may be more helpful,” he said.
“Communities should also pressure local and state governments to reduce the availability of EGM gambling, through reductions in opening hours and the number of venues and EGMs within communities.”
There are seven hotels and clubs across the municipality that host more than 523 licensed EGMs in Melton.
The Golden Fleece Hotel earned $2.2 million between 2021-22, the highest amount of any venue in the municipality.
