Electronic gaming machine policy

We play an active and important role in reducing the harm associated with electronic gaming machines (pokies) gambling.

If you’re worried about gambling, support is available:

• Gamblers Help phone: 1800 858 858, TTY 1800 777 706 – 24-hour telephone counselling service
• Gambling Help Online – 24/7 online support for problem gambling counselling and support.
• To get help, you can also contact Gamblers Help North and North West on 1300 133 445.

In Darebin, gambling through electronic gaming machines continues to be directly associated with the greatest harms to individuals, their families and the general community.

Over the last 4 years our community has worked hard to reduce harm by implementing our Electronic Gaming Policy and Action Plan. We’re proud of what’s been achieved and because such important progress has been made, we have reviewed and updated both documents for the next 4years.

Electronic Gaming Machine Policy 2023–2027

The revised Electronic Gaming Machine Policy 2023–2027(PDF, 408KB) and Action Plan 2023–2027(PDF, 114KB) and was endorsed by Council on 27th November 2023.

This policy aims to make the City of Darebin free of the harm associated with Electronic Gaming Machines (EGM). The policy outlines Council’s commitment to minimising harm from EGMs in the City of Darebin. The policy guides Council in its actions and decision making on gambling harm prevention.

The policy will be enacted through the following five priority areas:

1. Organisational leadership: Take a whole of organisation approach to minimise harm from EGM. This includes ensuring that Councillors and Council officers lead by example and that any of our actions aim to minimise harm from EGM.
2. Legislation regulation: Exercise the full extent of regulatory and legislative mandate to minimise harm from EGM.
3. Advocacy and partnership: Maintain strategic partnerships and undertake advocacy to minimise gambling harm.
4. Awareness and education: Educate the community about the imbalance between EGM harms and benefits. This is critical to ensure that community members have an informed perception of EGM.
5. Funding and resourcing: Dedicate resources and source funding to minimise harm from EGM in the community.

What will the policy mean for the community?

The policy contains a number of items that relate to the provision of Council funding and support, most notably that:

• Council will not fund community groups who meet in venues that have EGMs through any of its community funding programs.
• Any sporting club, community group, organisation or association that operate or own EGMs will be ineligible for community grants, financial assistance or in kind support from Council.
• Any sporting club, community group, organisation or association that receives sponsorship or grants (in-kind or cash) from poker machine revenue will have Council grants, in-kind support and funding reduced by the amount and level of funding and/or in-kind support received from EGM sources.
• Council will not provide sporting grounds, Council venues or use of Council property to any sporting clubs, community groups, organisations or associations who directly operate or own EGMs in Darebin or elsewhere.

It is Council’s intention through this policy to support clubs and groups to be independent of any reliance on EMG-generated funding or support.