About $50 million is fed into poker machines in the Shellharbour region each year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Councillor Peter Moran thinks that is a massive amount of money for only a relatively small city. So he wants to change that statistic.
Cr Moran will ask the council to write to poker machine operators in the area to request they do their bit to help problem gamblers.
“Poker machines are seen to do a significant amount of damage in the community,” he said. “Shellharbour Council is also looking to increase the number of poker machines at its venue, The Links Shell Cove.
“Sadly the people who tend to lose the most are often the ones who can least afford to lose it.
“But there is little being done to minimise harm.
“There are some simple ways operators can reduce some of the harm in the community.”
Cr Moran said the letter would ask pub and club owners to reduce the number of hours per day that machines were available and to ensure ATMs were at least 30 metres from poker machines where possible.
He said these tactics were not targeted at people who put a small amount of money in when they were out having a good time but rather at problem gamblers.
“I am not trying to deny anyone the pleasure of having a flutter on the pokies,” Cr Moran said.
“I am hoping owners will reduce their hours to minimise the opportunity for people to keep gambling.
“If operators open and close the machines an hour later or earlier then that is a little thing they can do to help people who need help.
“If the ATMS are further away then hopefully that break from sitting at the machine will make gamblers think, ‘do I really want to take that extra $100 out or should I walk away?’.”
Cr Moran said he hoped other councillors supported the decision because he was trying to help gamblers as well as gamblers’ families from suffering.
He said the letter would simply ask operators to put in the harm minimisation measures but there would be no sanctions from the council if the owners did not.
“The letter will say the council recognises there is a problem in the community and will call on the operators’ community spirit and ask them to do their bit to help with the problem,” Cr Moran said.
“A lot of poker machines are in clubs that are community owned. The clubs are there to serve the community and this a way owners can help the community. It’s the right thing to do.
“If we help just one family that will be worth it.”
The idea will be voted on by councillors at Tuesday’s meeting.
