A coalition of Victorian councils is urging the state government to overhaul a tax minimization scheme for poker machine venues, asserting that the current system allows venues to exaggerate their community benefits. 

The councils are particularly concerned about venues pledging additional payments to communities as part of their bids for more poker machines, arguing that these initiatives do not counterbalance the detrimental effects of gambling harm, reported The Guardian.

Their grievances revolve around a tax break scheme that grants Victorian clubs financial benefits if they allocate 8.33% of gambling revenue to community initiatives. However, investigations reveal that a substantial portion of this money is directed toward the clubs’ own operating costs and upgrades, masquerading as a “community benefit.”

Ranka Rasic, the mayor of Brimbank council, expressed frustration and disappointment, emphasizing the acute gambling harm experienced by her constituents. Rasic insists that the state government needs to confront its dependence on gambling venues for income to resolve the persisting issue.

In October, it was revealed that Australians have set a concerning record, with losses from poker machines reaching AUD 14.5 billion ($9.25 billion) in the last financial year, a significant increase from the previous year. 

Victoria’s Councils Unite for Poker Machine Reform

Last month, all councils in Victoria collectively urged the government to promptly review the scheme to ensure that losses from gambling are genuinely reinvested into the community. In May, councils advocated for redefining “community benefit” to ensure that gambling profits are shared with legitimate philanthropic organizations or charities, rather than being channeled into the clubs’ self-serving upgrades.

The push for reform is spearheaded by a subset of mayors, primarily concerned about the disproportionate harm inflicted by poker machines on socioeconomically disadvantaged communities where losses are significantly higher.

The Greater Dandenong city council, located on Melbourne’s south-eastern fringe, stands out as one of the most culturally diverse and disadvantaged in Australia. With an average loss of $801 per adult to gambling annually, the council is at the forefront of the call for reform. This rate is almost nine times higher than the losses in Boroondara, one of the state’s more privileged areas.

An ongoing parliamentary inquiry has highlighted concerns raised by local governments about applicants failing to deliver on promises to fund community activities.

The councils’ call for reform underscores the need to address the exploitative practices of poker machine-operating clubs, ensuring that tax breaks genuinely benefit the community rather than serving as a cover for self-serving agendas. The state government’s response to these demands remains awaited, with gaming minister Melissa Horne yet to provide comment on the matter.

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The company is now adding more members to its experienced sales force in Europe as it faces increased demand for its products across the continent. The team will now feature Andreas Leitinger, appointed as sales manager, and operating out of Slovenia.

Zitro Hires on a Hiring Spree as It Strengthens Sales Team

Leitinger will oversee markets in Germany, Luxembourg, and Slovenia, as well as other jurisdictions that the company may be pushing or expanding into. His industry experience makes him a great fit for the company’s team, which is determined to continue improving its reach in the aforementioned regions and has already been seeing a significant uptick in demand there.

Leitinger is not joining alone as he will also be backed by Krystian Konopka who will also work as sales manager and oversee Poland, Ireland, Sweden, and Egypt. Konopka is also an experienced Zitro employee having worked with the company for several years and distinguished himself as a dependable and successful team member.

The third appointment is that of John Morris, who is a trusted and dependable product specialist, who will now support the international sales team and help with product strategies and positioning. Morris will be tasked with ensuring that Zitro’s products offer a competitive game performance in specific markets as well as help the teams spot and realize new business opportunities.

A Sales Team to Be Proud Of

Zitro EMEA sales director Nadège Teyssedre has welcomed the new changes and appointments and said that she was confident in the success of the growing sales team. “With their experience and expertise, we see tremendous potential for further growth and expansion in the European gaming market,” Teyssedre concluded.

Zitro has been growing its global footprint with a number of important partnerships across various regions, including in Colombia and Brazil. The company opened a new office in Buenos Aires in April to help it with its overall pivot in the Latin American region.

Zitro has similarly been building up in Colombia with VICCA Group which the company joined efforts with just last week. Zitro has continued with its European expansion as well, breaking ground on the Swedish market with Casino Cosmopol.

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