Spending on poker machines in Victoria has gone up by $43 million in the past year, with gamblers from some of the state's most disadvantaged areas pouring large amounts of money into the pokies.

Key points: Victorians spent almost $2.6 billion on poker machines in past 12 months

Victorians spent almost $2.6 billion on poker machines in past 12 months Poker machines tend to be concentrated in "areas of disadvantage and social stress"

Poker machines tend to be concentrated in "areas of disadvantage and social stress" Calls for reforms at both a state and federal level

Victorian Government data shows the state spent almost $2.6 billion on poker machines in the past 12 months.

In Dandenong, on the south-east outskirts of Melbourne in Victoria's most disadvantaged area, an average $1,000 is spent on pokies per person per year.

The Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation said Dandenong, along with regions like Geelong and Whittlesea, were each gambling $100 million a year on poker machines.

Dr Charles Livingstone, a gambling researcher at Monash University, said researchers found that machines tended to be concentrated in "areas of disadvantage and social stress".

"Unfortunately people in those areas tend to seek refuge from their stresses by using machines," he said.

"And of course the companies that operate them are clever enough to work out where they're going to make the money, and that's where they put the machine."

In Victoria, betting companies Tabcorp and the Tatts Group were stripped of their long-running poker machine duopoly in 2012.

Pubs and clubs took control, and Dr Livingstone said those venues were now working out ways to significantly increase their poker machine revenue.

"In Victoria, both the Liberal and Labor parties have introduced harm minimisation policies, which have had good effect, have seen a reduction in the losses, and they've capped machine numbers and so on," he said.

"And all of those have been good. Unfortunately the operators have now worked out how to start increasing the revenue again.

"They're targeting poor areas still, and increasingly with greater skill and marketing capacity, and we're starting to see the effects of that harm increase once again.

"So we need a new round of reform, and we need it very soon."

The Minister for Gaming and Liquor Regulation Marlene Kairouz said she was committed to addressing problem gambling.

"Whilst gambling is a legitimate industry, we recognise and take seriously the harm caused by problem gambling," Ms Kairoz said.

"We have invested $148 million over the next four years to support problem gambling service providers and the YourPlay scheme.

"We will continue to take an evidenced based approach to addressing the harm caused by problem gambling."

States reluctant to help 'because of revenue'

Dr Livingstone said reform needed to happen at both a state and federal level.

"I think state governments around Australia have been reluctant to tackle it because of the revenue they receive," he said.

"In New South Wales, for example, the state treasuries get more than $1 billion revenue per year from poker machines alone.

"So they have a very strong vested interest in keeping that revenue flowing."

But Dr Livingstone said there were also other forces at play.

"There is a lot of opposition from many political actors to reform of this business, and I think that's largely because the poker machine and other gambling lobbies are very powerful," he said.

"They're very cashed up and they have a great capacity to influence political decision-makers.

"So … we need a combination of both state and federal action to make sure that the most efficient harm minimisation measures are introduced, and we stop seeing the burden of taxation being placed on those who are least able to afford it."