And more money was lost on poker machines at these locations than at any of the other 16 venues owned by AFL clubs. Deakin University associate professor of Public Health Samantha Thomas said AFL clubs had not "stepped up and been accountable" for the harm their poker machines caused the community. "They have become very addicted to the revenue they make from the machines," she said. Professor Thomas said many of the clubs' venues were found in poorer areas, away from their heartlands, and were harming some of the state's most vulnerable communities. "There is irrefutable evidence that poker machine addiction leads to significant health and social problems, from mental health and relationship breakdowns to family violence," she said.

Five of the 18 venues - and both of Hawthorn's - are in the Melton and Monash municipalities, which are among the lowest median incomes of the metropolitan region. Victorian InterChurch Gambling Taskforce chairman Mark Zirnsak said football clubs were effectively relying on "people losing their homes as a result of gambling problems to fund their activities". "And the more pokies revenue a club has, the more it can compete to get better players," he said. "That's not good for the game or for the community." Hawthorn's Vegas at Waverley Gardens venue was briefly shut down last week due to licensing issues, but has since been granted a provisional licence to operate poker machines by the state's gambling regulator. Hawthorn also owns a 73 per cent stake in the venture that operates the West Water Hotel in Caroline Springs.

Carlton holds the licence for four venues, Essendon, Collingwood, Melbourne, Geelong and the Western Bulldogs have two venues, while Richmond and St Kilda have one. North Melbourne is the only local team not to hold a stake in poker machines. Collingwood had three venues, but offloaded the Diamond Creek Tavern in Melbourne's northeastern fringe in 2014. And since the start of this year, Geelong has operated 100 fewer machines due to development works at Kardinia Park. Carlton and the Western Bulldogs are the only clubs to have acquired more poker machine licences in recent years, with both clubs now operating 10 more machines than in 2013. Victorians lost $2.6 billion on poker machines last year, and 3.6 per cent of this was at venues connected with AFL clubs.

All local football clubs except Geelong have signed up to the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation's charter, which requires clubs that own or operate pokies to train staff to spot problem gamblers.