By Matthew Sims

The Alliance for Gambling Reform has released a new policy paper calling for the restriction of gambling rooms’ opening hours opening hours to be restricted from midnight to 10am, as part of the launch of its End Gambling Harm After Dark campaign.

As part of the campaign, Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate Tim Costello and advocate Carolyn Crawford led a rally in Deer Park on Wednesday, October 19 to advocate for gambling reform, with a number of state government candidates in attendance.

The policy paper showed that while venues in Victoria are able to be open for 20 hours a day, the time they are allowed to operate is undefined so venues are able to ‘stagger’ their operating hours, resulting in a number of communities having access to electronic gaming machines [EGMs] for 24 hours and seven days a week.

Reverend Costello said more needed to be done to protect people who are vulnerable to gambling harm.

“Given the enormous harm poker machine losses wreak on our state, there is no need for venues to be open into the early hours of the morning,” he said.

“The industry certainly cannot be trusted to act sensibly or compassionately.”

At its meeting on Tuesday, October 18, Brimbank council approved a notice of motion from councillor Virginia Tachos to writes to the federal government requesting the federal and state governments commit to

gambling reforms which include improved regulation of sports betting and limits on advertising and reduced operating hours of gaming venues.

She said in 2021-22, a total of $128,396,442 was lost to EGMs in Brimbank.

“I am really concerned about the impacts of gambling on our community,” Cr Tachos said.

She said gambling needed to be seen as an addiction.

“Our community is being harmed and this needs to be treated as a health issue,” she said.

“There are not many options available to those communities for recreation.”

Details: www.agr.org.au