The application, which council advertised on Saturday, is for an increase of nine machines.

This would take the venue’s total to 54.

Planning consultants acting for the hotel said the extra machines would not increase the floor area of the club, change the external appearance of the building or existing trading hours.

“We therefore do not consider the application is required to be advertised,” the consultants, Urbis Pty Ltd, wrote.

The company pointed to the hotel’s “strong track record of financial and in-kind support” for local organisations.

In the 2009-2010 financial year, the Red Lion Hotel contributed $38,500 to support local groups with another $5250 in the form of free room hire, the application says.

It predicts the nine additional machines will generate an additional $647,103 per year.

The company says $469,425 would be revenue transferred from other gaming

venues.

But Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation figures showed the hotel’s EGM revenue for July-December last year was $2,208,729.35, and for the 2009/10 year

$4,137,586.74.

On these figures, revenue from each machine last financial year was $91,946, and $98,165 for July-December

2010.

Pokie campaigner Paul Bendat said the Red Lion would continue to extract revenue from one of Ballarat’s most disadvantaged communities.