Introduction The overall saturation of EGMs within Monash is a concern to Council. The municipality has 6.97 EGMs per 1000 adults compared to that State average of Monash hosts the highest number of pokies per metro local government area (1000). Monash had the third highest expenditure in Victoria of $122,053, in 2010/11.

Vulnerable Communities The spread of EGMs and venues across the City of Monash is disproportionally weighted towards our suburbs of least advantage, including Clayton, Oakleigh, Mulgrave, and Ashwood. The number of EGMs available in this region of Monash was capped in Of the 15 venues in Monash, 10 (66%) and 618 EGMs (62%) are located in this capped region, giving residents in these suburbs a higher accessibility to EGMs. The location and density of EGMs in vulnerable and socially and economically disadvantaged areas is of continuing concern. Approximately 70% of Monash EGM expenditure is lost within the capped region.

Clayton Statistics Clayton has the greatest SEIFA index of disadvantage in all of the suburbs in Monash. When the L’Unico Hotel installs another 7 EGMs, the EGM density for Monash’s most vulnerable community, Clayton, will rise significantly to 10.9 EGMs per 1,000 adults compared to the state average of With 7 additional machines, this venue will have the highest expenditure per EGM per day in Victoria (estimated at an average of $531 per EGM per day).

Changes to Gambling Regulation Act 2003 The commission should always examine the impact on smaller neighbourhoods by using postcode data for the neighbourhood around the venue making the application. Community benefits that are more significant and genuine, such as help for problem gamblers, as opposed to businesses investing in their own facilities as a community benefit. The commission should have to consider whether the application will drive the number of pokies in a local neighbourhood over the state average.