Victorians lost more than $2.5 billion on the state's poker machines last financial year, new figures from the Victorian Gambling Regulation Authority show.

The statistics showed the losses were up almost 3 per cent on the previous year with the City of Brimbank, in Melbourne's north, having the greatest losses of more than $140 million.

Losses in the City of Casey, in the outer east, were $119 million, followed by $117 million in the City of Dandenong

Gabriela Byrne, who runs a prevention program for problem gamblers in Victoria, said some of the state's most disadvantaged areas were hardest hit.

They included areas with high unemployment and areas with many refugees, who were often socially isolated.

"Poker machine venues become for people a place of hope, which is false hope," she said.

"[It's a place] where they go and don't have to speak the language.

"They find themselves in an exciting environment. It's set up to attract all your senses."

Ms Byrne said governments were merely "tinkering around the edges" trying to help problem gamblers.

"It's time we really look at what we can do to curb this problem to help people who can least afford it to go down further in the spiral of gambling losses," she said.

"I think the $1 bet limit that has been asked for for many years would be a good start."