Poker Machine Spending Up in Victoria

The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation has estimated that during the 2005 to 2006 financial year gamblers have spent nearly $43 million on gambling and poker machines in the City of Greater Bendigo. The findings, recently released, show that the electronic gambling machine spending in the city was $42.7 million, this is a jump of over $2.5 million dollars from the previous financial year, 2004 to 2005. Council of Gamblers Help Services Executive Officer Eddie Chapman commented that estimated 40% of poker machine gamblers are addicts, and that the rise in numbers is a problem. A counter argument coming from Ministry for Gaming John Pandazopoulos pointed out that the growth rate was the third lowest since the poker machines introduced in Victoria in 1992.