Maroondah Council cuts ties with pokie pubs and clubs - no grants, no venue hire

Gamblers lost more than $20 million at one venue - the Dorset Gardens Hotel - last financial year.

Matthew Sims
June 19, 2026

Gamblers lost $64.2 million on pokies across Maroondah last financial year — about $176,000 on average every day — prompting councillors to adopt new restrictions preventing council grants going to, and events being held at, venues with poker machines.

✍️ What will the policy do? On Monday, councillors approved the Maroondah Gambling Harm Prevention and Minimisation Policy, which sets out three priorities: advocating for harm-minimisation measures, supporting people affected by gambling and promoting alternatives.

🛑 What will change? Key actions include preventing the council from providing grants or support to organisations operating pokies and avoiding council-hosted events at venues with pokies.

Maroondah Council already excludes grant applications from organisations that benefit from or promote gambling, including pokies, sports betting and online gambling.

While the council rarely hosts events at gaming venues, a search of upcoming events found the council was promoting a Men’s Health and Wellbeing Summit next Saturday June 27 at the Ringwood RSL sub-branch, which has 70 machines.

Mayor Linda Hancock told the Eastern Melburnian the policy “does not represent a significant change” to the council’s approach to gambling.

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Often, broad reform looks at total losses and the impact on industry. However, the real impact on individuals often creates irreversible consequences.

💰 Widespread harm: Across the 2024-25 financial year, gamblers lost about $64.2 million across Maroondah’s 640 EGMs — averaging $5.35 million each month or about $176,000 every day.

In the first four months of this year alone, losses hit about $20.7 million, or about $172,000 each day.

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“Are you the only one at the table choosing water when everyone else is drinking soda? That’s what resisting gambling feels like.”

🎰 Money machines: Maroondah has eight gaming venues — five clubs and three pubs.

Club Kilsyth recorded the highest losses among clubs at about $8.1 million in 2024–25.

The Dorset Gardens Hotel recorded the highest losses overall, taking about $20.3 million — nearly one-third of all losses across Maroondah during the year. In March, the hotel won approval to increase its number of pokies from 97 to 105.