PUNTERS lost close to $48 million dollars on poker machines in the Greater Bendigo area in the 2014/2015 financial year.
The loss of $47.7 million is up on last year’s expenditure of $46.2 million.
Machines at the All Seasons Hotel collected $9.7 million while Bendigo Stadium’s machines took $6.9 million.
Campaspe Shire gamblers spent $8.2 million with the highest takings at the Echuca Workers and Services Club. Punters lost $3.4 million at the club in the 12 months to July 2015.
Machines in the Central Goldfields took $6.9 million while Macedon Ranges Shire poker machines took $8.7 million.
About $3.2 million was put through Mount Alexander machines.
The Loddon Shire has no poker machines.
The Productivity Commission in 2010 estimated about 95,000 “problem gamblers” across Australia accounted for about 40 per cent of all poker machine losses.
St Luke's Anglicare regional director Carolyn Wallace said low-income areas were hit the hardest by the impact of poker machines.
"These are the most vulnerable people with the least disposable income who are accounting for a large proportion of gambling losses,” she said.
Ms Wallace said St Luke's provided assistance to about 500 people across central Victoria each year through its Gamblers' Help program.
She said that figure was an under-representation of problem gamblers.
Ms Wallace said problem gambling took a heavy toll.
"It results in financial stress, family breakdown, loss of employment and in some cases criminal activity through fraud and theft," she said.