SWAN Hill’s pain at the pokies has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels and is climbing.
The trend is sending alarm bells through social-support and care groups as they struggle to meet demand from people desperate to break out of their addiction.
The latest Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission data show pokies losses in the Swan Hill local government area for 2021-22 soared more than $2 million to $8.3 million after dropping to $5.9 million (2019-20) and $5.5 million (2020-21) during the height of COVID-19 social impacts.
The previous similar figure – $8.4 million – was recorded in 2018-19.
Monthly losses in the wake of lockdowns and attendance limits reached a high of $829,000 in April and the figures mean the four club and hotel venues in Swan Hill with pokies averaged more than $2 million each for the financial year.
The venues have a total of 159 machines, on which punters are losing an average $52,201 per machine.
Losses that contributed to a staggering $2.3 billion dropped into the gambling black hole throughout Victoria – and that was up 29 per cent on the previous year.
The COVID losses may have been down, but the experts agree with 24-hour access to online gaming in the digital era, the losses may simply have been shifted to other mediums.
Anglicare north central community services program manager Alicia Bruton said not only had the spend gone up, so had the demand for support.
She said the people her agency dealt with were often the collateral damage of a technology that had been brilliantly designed to mentally and physically seduce people who sat down in front of a machine and dropped money into the slot.
“The research showing how these machines – their lights, the music, the whole package – can directly impact on the neurotransmitters,” Ms Bruton says.
“The individual, like any addict, is looking for the rush of that next big hit, and when it doesn’t come because they are not winning, they will do anything to feed the desire,” she says.
“Even if people are spending $10 and losing it, their small wins of a few cents here and there make you feel like you are winning, and the big one is just around the corner – except it never is.”
Ms Bruton said Anglicare staff were trained to deliver a variety of support, from emotional counselling to financial advice.
She says in most cases people who get to them will need access to it all.
“Just as importantly, we have to make sure we protect our own people, who are exposed to a lot of emotional trauma and that all adds up.
“We have layer upon layer of support for them, from EAP and online programs to clinical supervision and professional development and planning.
“If we don’t look after our staff, we can’t look after anyone.”
Ms Bruton said gambling in general, and the pokies in particular, were non-denominational carnivores and impacted on every social demographic.
She said gamblers had to realise the hole they were in and the help they needed to break free and regain their lives.
“We look at the person as a whole as there are so many reasons why people gamble; it’s far from just about the money.”
Gambling support is available from Anglicare on 1800 809 722.
