The POKIE DRAIN

WARRNAMBOOL residents spent an average of $527 each on gaming machines in the eight months to February as they pumped more than $11 million into the pokies, new research has revealed.

Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation figures show Warrnambool punters deposited almost $1 million, or nine per cent more, into the city's machines for the eight months compared with the corresponding period last year.

In all, a whopping $11.57 million was wagered, $969,035 up on the previous period, as the city heads towards a big increase on the $16.20 million bet on pokies last financial year. On average, Warrnambool people spent $50 more than other regional Victorians on pokies.

Corangamite Shire residents spent an average of $195 a person at the shire's two pokies venues, one in Camperdown and the other in Cobden. In total, the two machines collected $3,017,510.

Although figures were not available for the past eight months in the Southern Grampians Shire, gamblers spent $5,558,259 for the same period the previous year at the shire's two Hamilton venues. Colac-Otway Shire residents deposited $4,441,542 in poker machines at five venues around Colac, half a million dollars more than for the same period a year earlier.

On average, contributions to pokies left each person's pockets $316 lighter in Colac.

Adults in the Glenelg Shire each spent $398 at Portland's four pokie venues Ð more than $400,000 above the previous year.

Opposition gambling spokesman Ken Smith said the figures showed the Bracks Government's strategies to reduce problem gambling were not working and added more weight to the Liberal Party's plan to cut machines, if it won office.

"While the average adult living in regional Victoria spent $474 per year on the pokies in 2003\/04, the average Warrnambool resident spent $527," Mr Smith said.

Warrnambool residents were not the only ones affected by gambling, he said.

Around the state, Victorians spent a mammoth $72.9 million more on pokies than the same eight months the previous year.

The Liberal Party would reduce the number of poker machines in use around the state by 5000 to 22,500, he said.

But a spokeswoman for Gaming Minister John Pandazopoulos yesterday defended the Government's initiatives and attacked the Opposition, saying it lacked credibility on the issue.

"The Liberals have never explained how they intend to cut poker machine numbers under the current contracts which are in place until 2012," she said.

"Their policy lacks all credibility when it was the former Liberal government that set the terms of the contracts and number of poker machines.

"The Bracks Government has implemented the broadest range of regulations on poker machines in Australia. We have banned poker machine advertising, restricted signage and given local councils planning control over where venues are located."