According to the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation, punters lost $6.6 million between July and February 2011 – just $165,000 less than for the same period last financial year. The shire now has 97 pokies, after losing 20 machines from Hurstbridge Bowling Club and Eltham RSL.

Eltham Hotel and Diamond Creek Tavern are now the only pokie venues in the shire.

Anti-pokies campaigner Paul Bendat said the consistent spending demonstrated the inadequacy of Victorian policies focused on limiting the number of machines available.

‘‘What is happening is clear evidence that it is not about the number of pokies in a given area but, rather, the access to pokie gambling by way of easy to reach locations and extended hours of trading,’’ Mr Bendat said. ‘‘Pokie losses are set to soar as the Ballieu government’s policy is to diminish local government’s role in the approval process.’’

The government recently announced it would reduce councils’ time to assess poker machine licence applications.

Pokie numbers could further change in the shire, as only 80 gaming machine licences were purchased during last year’s controversial entitlement auction.

VCGR acting executive commissioner Max Priestley said: ‘‘An ongoing transfer market exists, which provides rules relating to the application for approval of movements of entitlements from one region to another.’’

­– Alana Schetz