Legal advice has terminated plans for Macedon Ranges Shire Council to categorically oppose new electronic gaming machines at its owned and managed sites.

MRSC’s stance on pokies applications formed part of its draft Gambling Harm and Prevention Policy, which has since undergone changes and been deferred.

Legal advice highlighted concerns with having a predetermined position to oppose planning and licensing applications, and misalignment between the draft policy and the planning scheme.

New wording now states the council will “assess the social and economic impact of EGM approval applications and represent community interests in regulatory processes”.

However, an additional policy statement has been introduced that would see MRSC “advocate to the state government to freeze the municipal EGM cap in the Macedon Ranges to the current number of machines”.

The EGM cap for Macedon Ranges is 355 while the shire operates well below that cap with a total of 103 EGMs across three venues.

If successful in advocating for this change, no new application could be made unless a gaming venue reduced its EGMs or closed.

STILL DANGER
FOR BOWLS CLUB?

The draft gambling policy would also have implications for several community groups despite new and recent changes.

The Express reported in March, the policy threatened to shut down Kyneton Bowling Club’s pokies, raising uncertainties about the club’s future sustainability.

At the time, the policy prevented any form of gambling at council-owned or managed sites. Then, MRSC said termination of EGMs at the club was to be stipulated in its next lease renewal in 2027.

On another point, the policy also prevented the council from giving financial support for activities that receive sponsorships from gaming venues, online betting companies or other gambling providers.

Both points have been contentious in community consultation. Of 66 submissions received, 36 were unsupportive of the policy.

The policy has since been updated, but still has implications, and last week councillors voted to defer decision-making until August.

The move follows requests from Kyneton Bowling Club and other community groups for more time to assess the final document and prepare for potential impact.

About 19 submissions referenced the bowling club, highlighting concern it would need to close due to reliance on income generated through its EGMs.

New wording in the policy states “where a council lease holder with EGMs has a lease due for renewal, council will actively engage with [them] two years before” to discuss implications of the policy.

It states, “a new lease will clearly state the conditions and timing for an agreed transition period. EGMs will be permitted for that period only”.

The club will now discuss the implications of the policy with its board.

Policy wording has also changed for community groups seeking financial support but restrictions still apply.

This point is now limited to council not providing “financial support for a specific activity that also receives sponsorships from gaming venues, online betting companies or other gambling providers for that same activity in that financial year” effective from July 2025.

“VERY IMPORTANT
POLICY”
Speaking at council’s meeting last week, Cr Mark Ridgeway acknowledged the policy had created some concern and discussion.

“(Deferral) gives these organisations the time to have discussions but also gives councillors time to get out and talk to and work with some of the community organisations and maybe help with some of those concerns going forward,” he said.

“The policy itself is a very important policy. It’s not something we can walk away from and in its current form it’s certainly something that we need to look at very seriously.”

MRSC’s current EGMs are spread across Kyneton Bowling Club, Kyneton RSL and Gisborne’s Victorian Tavern. In 2022/23 they generated a total loss of $9,089,731.

Earlier this year, the council was successful in fighting against an application for 50 EGMs at the Romsey Hotel and did so with a majority vote from the community.

Speaking to the Express in March, MRSC’s director of community, Maria Weiss, said the policy’s objective was to prevent the negative social and economic impacts of gambling on the community.

“It was developed utilising local demographics, including financial losses through electronic gaming machines in the Macedon Ranges, as well as contemporary research into gambling harms and previous feedback from the community,” she said.

Councillors are expected to make a decision on the Gambling Harm Prevention Policy at their ordinary meeting on August 28.