The Victorian Commisssion for Gamblign and Liquor Regulation has approved the club’s application to increase its eletronic gaming machines from 30 to 45.

Club chief executive Lisa McIlvride said she was thrilled the applicaiton was approved.

“It’s been a 12-month process to gain them,” she said.

“For the club, it just concretes our future in harness racing, it allows us to remain financially viable and will give us funding to improve the club,” she said.

Mrs McIlvride said the club would also open a new grants program for the community.

“That program will be $15,000 a year to start with and we will work in conjunction with council on that to distrubte the money,” she said.

The new machines will mean the club will hire another staff member.

Mrs McIlvride said the machines were definitely needed.

“It’s getting harder and harder in gaming, with all the regulations and taxes, so this makes it easier for us to make better decisions,” she said.

Club president Geoff Sanderson said he was delighted to have secured the extra machines.

“It’s going to boost our club and secure our future,” he said. A commission report on the application showed Northern Grampians Shire had an average gaming expenditure of $514 an adult, which was 53.2 per cent higher than the rural average.

The report said the extra poker machines would result in an 6.5 per cent increase in expenditure.

Mr Sanderson said he didn’t think problem gambling would be an issue with the extra machines. 

“We are very mindful of problem gaming at our club and we pride ourselves on making sure people aren’t spending more than their means,” he said.

The club is the only venue with pokies in Stawell after the Town Hall Hotel ceased operating its machines in October.