Ballarat City Council voted on Wednesday night to refuse a planning permit for the extra EGMs at the Main Road site.

Councillor Des Hudson said he had a responsibility to vote based on gaming machines’ social and economic impacts.

“This is not about the operation of the Red Lion Hotel but the installation of nine extra EGMs,” Cr Hudson said.

“Just because a venue currently has EGMs doesn’t mean it needs more.

“Golden Point was responsible for 27 per cent of Ballarat’s gaming expenditure in 2009-2010.

“This (refusing the application) is consistent with the policy direction we’re heading in.”

But Councillor Ben Taylor, who voted for the application, said he had to be consistent with the decisions he had made in the past until council’s new gaming policy – which he requested in January and is aimed at reducing Ballarat’s poker machines by 30 per cent – was adopted.

Urbis Pty Ltd associate director Laura Thomas, speaking on behalf of the Red Lion Hotel, said it was purely a town planning application.

“Gaming can be a contentious matter. We understand that fully,” Ms Thomas said.

“But this is a hotel that operates a wide variety of activities, including a motel and a bistro, and serves a tourist role as well.

“These machines would be going into the existing gaming room.”

But Councillor Samantha McIntosh said there was a need to cap poker machines.

“We have to be true to ourselves and recognise we have talked about capping,” Cr McIntosh said.