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Gambling Revenues as a Public Administration Issue: Electronic Gaming Machines in Victoria

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Abstract

Gambling activities and the revenues derived have been seen as a way to increase economic development in deprived areas. There are also, however, concerns about the effects of gambling in general and electronic gaming machines (EGMs) in particular, on the resources available to the localities in which they are situated. This paper focuses on the factors that determine the extent and spending of community benefit-related EGM-generated resources within Victoria, Australia, focusing in particular on the relationships between EGM activity and socio-economic and social capital indicators, and how this relates to the community benefit resources generated by gaming.

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Abbreviations

CBF:

Community benefit fund: this provides funding to community groups in Queensland, Australia, from gaming income

CBS:

Community benefit statement: the framework for self-reporting expenditure on community benefits by club and racing club venue operators that receive gaming revenue, showing how gaming proceeds contribute to their local communities

CSF:

Community support fund: established by the Victorian Government as a centralised, state government controlled fund to direct a portion of gaming revenue back to communities in Victoria

EGM:

Electronic gaming machines: Also known as ‘poker machines’ and variously defined as coin operated casino games, video poker, electronic jack pot and prize triggering devices used for gaming

LGA:

Local government area: an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for

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Pickernell, D., Keast, R., Brown, K. et al. Gambling Revenues as a Public Administration Issue: Electronic Gaming Machines in Victoria. J Gambl Stud 29, 689–701 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-012-9338-5

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