Victorian one-armed bandits stole $2.57 billion last year

The latest figures released by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation show the states 26,000 poker machines took in winnings of $2.57 billion in the past financial year, with punters losing 2.7 per cent more than the previous year.

The Victorian budget received $1.08 billion in pokies revenue and trends suggest this revenue will only continue to increase.

With the Government relying heavily on the dividends provided by pokies revenue, can you see any government implementing changes to combat problem gambling?

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/pokies-victorian-punters-lose-more-than-25-billion-20150726-gikodo.html

9 comments

And to think some of these Gamblers are getting a Disability, Age and Family Pension from the Taxpayer.

Sadly that is correct Abby.  My last trip to the Casino was an eyeopener for me.  Blind Freddy could see that 3/4 of the people were seniors and not that well off if you went by appearance.  Once the gambling bug bites it is really hard to get out of the system it would appear.

Many of course  go there out of loneliness and it is a cheap day out "if you do not gamble."  For $10 you can get a bus there and back if you live outside Perth and included in that ten dollars is a buffet lunch and a few vouchers to play keno worth a few dollars.

The casinos are the big time winners not the punters.  

The Casinos would not be supplying a bus if it was not profitable for them ... it would further be a tax deducction for them.

A little off the Topic ... our Community Centre charges Seniors $6 and they get a meal too but no keno vouchers.

The govt should not take roriceeds from gambling if I chose to gamble I should know the odds and take my chances . It is thieving .,

if I go to a casino I know the odds . no govt fixing the odds . But lotto and pokies are just tax by other means .

what are "roriceeds"  ?

In NSW we have pokies pubs clubs they are everywhere they should be restricted to casinos and should give all the money back to the players with a small odds in favour of The casino like roulette the house gets the Zero , they should not be tax collectors .,.

Many years ago when things were resonably simple and governments took a fatherly role, to protect people from their own follies, gambling was prohibited, in VIC poker machies were banned  as they were causing a lot of harm to those who got the bug in NSW.. However when it was realised how much money the gov, could get, they were legalised,

Before condemning the oldies for going to clubs and playing the pokies, ask why they do so. Reasons are plentiful, possibly more so than the younger players who could be there out of greed.

what are "roriceeds"  ?

Rori is an Irish name for a girl so Rori ceeds would be ceeds belonging to Rori..

lol

Think it is proceeds ?

Abby, how could you? Pro ceeds?  that's NOT NICE!

Oh dear!

How true, fools and their money are soon parted.

There they sit, in goes the money, push the buttons, chat away complaining about the high cost of living, the pension isn't enough to live on, the self-funded whinge about falling interest rates.......it's all about giving money away and hoping to win more, but the odds say the receiver will always be the winner in the long run., unless you buy a parking bay in a major car-park. 

 Centrelink has already used data collected from casino gamblers who use “swipe cards” while playing the pokies and are treating their wins and losses as earnings, and demanding repayment of a portion of their pensions.

Good on you C'link..

I recommend the Adelaide Casino for their silver service buffet in a lovely setting. If you go on the ‘off peak‘ days costs about $20 for all you can eat, nice fancy food including prawns. Oktoberfest buffet is great there. I never gamble. But I like to go for good value meals. Mayfield Diggers in Newcastle also have a fabulous all you can eat buffet.

Those are some good tips Booky, but don't they get miffy if you don't gamble?

No, none of the clubs and casinos do at all. Many people go to these places to eat. I just checked and unfortunately Adelaide Casino Buffet has closed. They still have the cheap meals section, roasts and stuff.

I live near West Leagues in Newcastle and I pay $5 a year for membership for pensioners and they have a great food court with membership discounts.

 

 

That's great , nice to know that pensioners can have a nice day out for very little..

As long as you are not a gambler or alcoholic! But a lot of clubs have whole sections devoted to family level eating.

You can also get reduced movie tickets as a pensioner, so coupled with a good meal, a great day out!!

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