A great number of Victorian councils have raised the question about the poker machines and the procedures, concerning their acceptance. According to them, the regulators are likely to accept the arguments of the gambling providers without requesting solid evidence. The councils took up a campaign that is intended to lead to the changes they want to be imposed.
Currently, the gambling operators have to comply with the following rules: They have to present convincing arguments to the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation members in order to be allowed to provide their gambling services in different venues that offer entertainment facilities and alcoholic beverages. In other words the authorities have to be persuaded that if they allow a particular gambling provider install poker machines within the region, the advantages will be more than the disadvantages.
An example of the complicated situation is the approval, given by the authorities, for installing several machines in one of the Melbourne regions where the population has a low standard of living. The gambling provider claimed that the increased gambling revenue would enable the local communities make renovations and ensure the better access to gambling facilities in the area.
Geoff Lake, the spokesman who represents the councils who take part in the campaign, said that this was a vivid example of the inadequacy of the current rules and regulations.
The campaign is supported by politicians who are going to take part in the upcoming elections. They said that they are absolutely prepared to make the changes necessary and make sure that the newly implemented laws are beneficial to the local communities.
Geoff Lake also added that the campaign is supposed to raise the awareness of the current gambling problems rather than restrict the number of poker machines available in the state.
However, he considers the alarming tendency of placing poker machines in poor neighborhoods to be too dangerous. Lake and the councils who support the campaign think that these actions expose the vulnerable part of the population to different threats and the areas where well- off residents live, are the best place for poker machines installation. Yet, the gambling operators disregard these recommendations because, surprising or not, the poor areas are bringing the highest profits.
The councils also expressed their fear that the problem will remain unless measures towards solving it are taken as soon as possible. Statistics show that for the time being, a great number of poker machines, available in Melbourne, are located in areas where the lower social classes live.
Greater Dandenong, the area, famous for being the poorest in the state, has approximately 8 poker machines per thousand residents. However, Boroondara, the wealthiest suburb area, has only 1, 4 poker machines per thousand citizens.
Unfortunately, the same issue is present in Sydney where the same regulations apply.
