The Wyndham council has adopted an updated gaming policy that specifies the distance from social housing that pokie venues can be established. The policy, which the council recently voted to adopt, seeks to shift the concentration of electronic gaming machines away from areas and communities likely to fall prey to problem gambling.
The policy states that pokie venues may not be set up within 400 metres walking distance or clear sightline of social housing, shopping complexes or centres, and services utilised by individuals suffering from gambling-related harms, like financial counselling services.
The gaming policy is set to form part of the council’s planning scheme, following approval from the Minister for Planning.
The policy further seeks to limit the placement of electronic gambling machines in growth areas subject to Precinct Structure Plans, until they are “sufficiently established to overcome any significant uncertainties related to adjoining land uses, proximity to sensitive uses and potential for social and economic impacts on the emerging local community.”
Cr Josh Gilligan said that the approval of policy demonstrates that the council is embracing “the strongest possible planning scheme controls possible to mitigate the risk of new pokies in growth areas, such as Tarneit and Truganina.”
The council received six submissions after advertising the draft policy for public comment last year. Four supporting submissions came from the Brimbank council, Hobsons Bay Council, the Victorian Local Governance Association, and the Alliance for Gambling Reform.
Two objecting submissions came from the operators of a Tarneit hotel which currently has 65 pokies machines and two businesses that had their sights set on constructing a 70 pokie facility on Woods Road.
Cr Jennie Barrera explained that Wyndham already has 903 electronic gambling machines, which earned $61 million in the 2020-21 financial year.
“While gambling can be an ordinary past-time for some, it is associated with addiction and harmful outcomes for others. Substantial research now indicates that gambling addiction doubles the risk of a person missing a mortgage repayment, leads to higher levels of unemployment, higher levels of family violence and poorer long-term health outcomes,” Barrera said.
