More than $140 million was pumped through poker machines in state electorates across Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay last financial year.
A report released last week by Monash University researcher Charles Livingstone shows disadvantaged areas in the west of Melbourne have much higher levels of losses than more advantaged suburbs.
The combined Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay areas’ biggest spend was in the electorate of Footscray where $46 million was pumped through 423 gaming machines at 10 venues.
Almost $4.7 million was spent at the Braybrook Hotel, which had a recent application for 19 more machines rejected by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation.
The research showed punters in the electorate of Altona spent $44.4 million on 561 machines across nine venues.
Almost $40 million was put through 511 machines at nine venues in Williamstown.
