Victorian gamblers have saved $1.3 billion in poker machine losses since the machines were switched off due to COVID-19.

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Club gaming rooms and TAB outlets in Victoria were closed on March 23, when coronavirus restrictions were introduced, and they are likely to remain closed until at least November.

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Anti-gaming groups say the pandemic presents a unique opportunity to help problem gamblers stay off the poker machines when venues reopen.

'Although some people have appreciated being able to take the break, a lot of people are looking forward to getting back,' said Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation principal clinical advisor Tony Clarkson.

'When they do, the experience of the other states and territories has told us that there is likely to be a significant increase in player losses.'

He said in New South Wales there had been an 8 per cent increase in poker machine losses since venues reopened, and in Queensland, losses had increased by 32 per cent.

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'People can certainly get some benefit from taking a break, stopping and thinking about their gambling behaviour, having a think about what role gambling plays in their life, and what benefits they might have achieved or accrued from the lockdown period when they weren't able to gamble,' Mr Clarkson said.

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Surge in online gaming

In Gippsland alone, gamblers have saved $64 million since coronavirus restrictions forced the closure of gaming venues.

At the Sale Greyhound Club, 80 poker machines sit idle.

The operators have rearranged the gaming room to put all poker machines 1.5 metres apart to meet social distancing rules, but general manager Peter Johnston fears it could be Christmas before they are allowed to reopen.

'There's a lot of Chinese whispers within the industry at the moment that it will be a 10:00pm close for venues,' Mr Johnston said.

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'We're also hearing that even venues that have separated machines, that every second machine is going to have to be turned off.

'So in our case, 80 machines will turn into 31 machines, so that's going to be an issue for us long term as well.

'We're classified as the entertainment industry, so the earliest date was the 26th of November and that's with everything going right. So I would be really surprised if we're open before Christmas.'

He said there had been a significant surge in online gaming, including greyhound betting, as poker machine players turned to alternative forms of gambling.

'The poker machine industry is a really controlled environment with limits on what you can spend and how long you can spend in a venue,' Mr Johnston said.

'We believe those people are better off in our venues than sitting at home quiet by themselves.'

A spokeswoman for the Victorian Government said venues in metro Melbourne and regional areas will potentially reopen with seated venues and patron caps when Victoria moves from the third step to the last step in the reopening plan — if there are no new cases for 14 days as directed by the Chief Health Officer.

'We're working hard to minimise the risk of gambling harm with plans underway to ensure the reopening of gaming in Victoria can be achieved safely, both from a health and a gambling harm perspective,' the spokeswoman said.

Good time for reforms, say anti-gaming group

The Alliance for Gambling Reform has called on the Victorian Government to reduce the operating hours of poker machine venues and introduce a $1 maximum bet when COVID-19 restrictions are eased.

'We know we're stuck with them, but at least cut down the hours so that we don't go back to where we were before the pandemic,' alliance spokeswoman and reformed gambler Carolyn Crawford said.

In 2016, at the age of 64, Ms Crawford was sentenced to prison for stealing money from her employer to pay for her gambling addiction.

'I was lucky that I have a great counsellor who helped me through the feeling of wanting to go to the pokies again, even after 18 months in prison,' she said.

Ms Crawford said the shutdown may have helped some people realise they need help, but others would be eagerly awaiting venues to reopen.

'Now is a great opportunity for governments to acknowledge how addictive these machines are,' she said.

Latrobe Community Health Service (LCHS) is offering free and confidential help and advice, including therapeutic counselling and financial counselling for people who have gambling debts.

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