By Corey Everitt
Cardinia Shire Council has taken steps in addressing the pressing issue of gambling-related harm within the community by adopting new measures in harm prevention for both the council and any council supported activities.
The ’Gambling Harm Prevention and Minimisation Policy’ was considered and supported unanimously in the latest council meeting on Monday 15 July.
The policy’s primary objective is to minimise the potential for gambling-related harm and support the overall well-being of the community.
A report showed losses to gambling in the shire had gone up considerably in the past few years back to it’s pre-covid levels with over $35 million dollars lost to electronic gambling machines (EGMs) over the 2022-23 financial year.
A 2023 survey by the council showed 82 percent of residents believe the State Government should increase regulation of EGMs, 81 percent believed gambling is a public health issue.
It applies to all council-owned or managed facilities, as well as any events or activities organised or supported by the council.
The council will oppose matters that increase EGMs in the shire when is it “shown to elevate the risk of gambling related harm within vulnerable communities.“
No EGMs will be supported on council-owned or managed land, promotional material of gambling activities will be banned from these sites. All EGM venues in an agreement with the council will have to provide ’community contributions’ to be given over to the Cardinia Foundation.
The council will commit to a harm prevention focus in the community and in collaboration with public and private institutions, included in this approach is council’s commitment to not support venues or organisations in association with gambling activities through denying grants or denying use of council facilities.
This could change matters for some groups, including the Pakenham Art Show which will not longer receive council grant money if they continue to hold the event at the Pink Hotel’s function room which they did for the first time this year.
