No win for pokie hotel

Alison Noonan
AN APPLICATION to install more gaming machines at a Hampton Park Hotel has been rejected.
Councillors at last week’s Casey Council meeting voted to oppose the submission for an additional eight machines at the Hampton Park Tavern, claiming it was against the council’s Gaming Policy.
River Gum Ward councillor Wayne Smith said there were already enough pokies at the hotel, which currently operates 65 machines.
He said residents had strongly opposed more machines.
“They don’t want more gaming machines.
“They have opposed a lot of applications over the years and now they are saying ‘enough is enough’.
“There are already plenty in the area,” he said.
A report presented to the council stated that although the application met some of the council’s current gaming policy criteria, the hotel was in too close proximity to Greater Dandenong Plus, which is capped from receiving any further gaming machines.
It said that to grant the application would also contradict its own policy recommendation to the State Government to cap pokies in Hampton Park in a bid to reduce the high number of machines throughout Casey.
The report stated: “While the increase in EGMs (electronic gaming machines) is relatively minor, in the context of the venue’s proximity to the Greater Dandenong Plus capped area and its accessibility to that area, it is considered that the additional access to gaming machines may lead to added adverse impact upon atrisk groups.
“It is considered that although this application in a standalone sense may not increase the municipalities EGM provision beyond the policy, it will prejudice an appropriate future distribution of gaming machines within the municipality.”
Hampton Park Tavern declined to comment when contacted by the News.