Community opposed to more Valley Inn pokies

AN APPLICATION from South Geelong’s Valley Inn to increase pokies at the pub from 29 to 39 has met with overwhelming community opposition, over 86 per cent of respondents to a City of Greater Geelong (COGG) assessment of the project opposed the bid.

In announcing its intention to fight the application that’s before the state’s gaming regulator, COGG conducted a Social and Economic Impact Assessment that included a section on community attitudes and feedback.

A total of 320 community responses were received and have now been delivered to the Victorian Gambling Control and Casino Commission (VGCCC), with an application hearing set for two days in the third week of March.

Council confirmed it has now engaged legal representation to fight the application, having already announced a budget allocation of up to $30,000 for lawyers.

In the last three years gamblers have lost almost $4 million at the venue; approaching $1 million in the current financial year of 2021/22; $1.2 million in 2020/21 and in 2019/20 more than $1.5 million.

More than $89 million was lost on pokies in the Greater Geelong region in 2019/20, ranking the region as Victoria’s fourth highest regional spend on Electronic Gaming Machines (EGMs).

Council was unsuccessful in its last attempt at preventing pokies from being brought into the venue when the pub’s current owners, APD Group Pty Ltd, established the first 29 machines there in 2016.

Opposition to the latest gaming increase proposal is in keeping with COGG’s Electronic Gaming Policy adopted in 2017, a key objective of which is to reduce the negative impacts of problem gambling resulting from EGMs.

COGG has since objected to the last four pokie machine applications by local businesses and clubs in the region.

Existing licensing conditions for pokies at the Valley Inn include an annual requirement to make $30,000 contributions to not-for-profit community groups and sporting organisations providing services and facilities to COGG residents.

In its current application the venue’s owners predict 10 more machines would entice 500 more patrons through the door each week, around 25 of which would use the pokies.

The owners also estimate the proposal would transfer around 50 per cent of the expenditure from other gaming venues in the first 12 months but were “unable to accurately determine” how much would be transferred from non-gaming venues in the municipality.

The owners have committed to a $2 million development of the pub including a roof top deck if the application is approved, stating that “Geelong (including South Geelong) is experiencing massive growth with the establishment of new areas including Armstrong Creek. We believe by expanding our offering we will also be catering to demand for additional entertainment facilities in the area”.

COGG deputy mayor Trent Sullivan is already on the record disagreeing with this position, having stated that nearly 1,400 pokie machines across Greater Geelong and Queenscliff provide “ample opportunity for the community to take part in gambling if they wish, without the need to increase EGM numbers”.