Despite repeated lockdowns, more than $33 million was lost through Ballarat pokie machines in the 2020-21 financial year, though an application to add more machines has been rejected.
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The total electronic gaming machine expenditure in the City of Ballarat between November 2020, when venues reopened, and June 30, 2021, was $33,712,291.21, according to the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation.
While a decrease from the 2019-20 financial year, where almost $44m was spent on Ballarat pokies, the number remains concerning, with slight monthly increases.
On average, across the past decade $54.9 million was spent each year, not counting 2019-20 and 2020-21.
According to the VCGLR, there are currently 14 gaming venues operating within the City of Ballarat, with approvals to operate a total of 639 EGMs.
There is a municipal cap of 663 EGMs for the city.
The venue with the highest expenditure was Zagame's Ballarat, which has the highest number of EGMs at 105 - $7.6 million was spent there between July 2020 and June 2021.
The average loss at each of the 14 venues for the financial year was $2.1 million.
Earlier this year, the Robin Hood Hotel on Peel Street applied to expand its number of EGM entitlements from 20 to 28, submitting to the VCGLR the additional machines would provide extra income for a redeveloped sports bar, and another $10,000 per year to community groups.
This would be on top of its existing commitment to pay community groups $50,000 per year.
However, documents submitted on the hotel's behalf to the commission note the hotel had never paid its full commitment, since 2012 - in fact, it had underpaid $281,000 in those eight years.
The commission received submissions from the City of Ballarat and anti-gambling harm organisations, such as Ballarat Community Health, which opposed the expansion.
The VCGLR noted the application received automatic pre-approval, but denied the application.
"In deciding whether to exercise its discretion to refuse to grant its approval to the Application, the Commission not only may, but should, give appropriate weight to relevant events in the past and to stated intentions for the future," the commissioners state in their reasons.
"In his statement and at the Hearing, (the applicant) Mr Beaumont stated that due to profitability over the years since 2012 which failed to achieve the originally projected levels, the Applicant (the Robin Hood Hotel) had been unable to comply fully with the community contribution undertaking.
"At the Hearing (in June), the issue of this underpayment was raised with Mr Beaumont.
"Mr Beaumont gave evidence that he was "very embarrassed about it" and "it's not something that [he's] proud of". He also stated that the Applicant has "put a lot of money into food and beverage over the years" and "continued to try and improve the business there, so it was sustainable and we have spent a lot of money".
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"(The commission) finds that this has been a conscious decision of the Applicant to direct funds in this way, as opposed to meeting its undertaking to the Commission to make Existing Contributions of $50,000.
"This decision, perhaps understandably, put the Applicant's commercial needs ahead of the community benefit it had undertaken to provide.
"Having regard to these above considerations, the Commission considers that this is one of those relatively rare or exceptional cases where the ultimate discretion militates against an approval despite the 'no net detriment' test having been satisfied."
- Need to talk? Phone Gambler's Help on 1800 858 858, Ballarat Cafs on 5337 3333, or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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