56 Poker Machines
2277 Dandenong Road, Mulgrave 3170 Tel: 9546 9666
City of Monash.
Licensed to Tabcorp.
Hotel Website
ALE 2008 Property Valuation - $8,290,000
2006 VCGR Community Benefit Statement
2005 VCGR Community Benefit Statement
VCGA November 2001 Decision - application for increase of from 75 to 85 pokies for the Century City Tavern is refused. These were to be relocated from the Vale Hotel. There was some comment about regional caps in the decision.
Determination of VCGR November 2002 - application for decrease of pokies by 10
Determination of VCGR January 2003 - application for decrease of pokies by 10
Determination of VCGR November 2007 - application for decrease of pokies by 14

Pokie Loss History
2005/06 pokie losses were $8,083,917 at $115,484 per pokie
2006/07 pokie losses were $8,894,065 at $127,058 per pokie
2007/08 pokie losses were $8,161,606 at $145,743 per pokie
2008/09 pokie losses were $8,667,943 at $154,785 per pokie

Positive Changes;
See 14 June inspection notes below

23 March 2008 Inspection Notes:

'Cannot Win' talker signs
Best practice except for 4 pokies on back wall where all were placed too high so as not to be visible from video play face. Pokie #22 missing sign altogether.

Visibility of ATM from Gaming Room
Shielded by screen except for top of the ATM. However, ATM graphic not visible. Placed in main entrance

Distance of ATM from nearest pokie
18 paces

Visible posting of availability of Self-Exclusion facility
None

Number of Player Information Posters
Six

Eating in Gaming Room
Yes. Snack menu talker on the bar in gaming room. There were devices next to each machine where the player can ask for drink service without rising from their play.

Coffee / Tea service in Gaming Room
Yes

Visibility from Bistro Area
Limited.

Kid's Play Area
Not observed although the web site promotes Kid's Parties and Kid's Club (Win Prizes).

Do not leave children in vehicle signs/notices
3 on perimeter walls although two lead out from car park. 1 on back entrance (pictured). None on front entrance.

General Comments
Construction on site.The City of Monash adopted a gaming policy in 2001. You can read this document here. On page 7 certain measures are stated "To ensure a safe environment for gaming activities and the provision of meaningful information for gamblers." This includes "Tea and coffee to be provided in an informal area adjacent to the gaming room/s, to encourage patrons to take a break from gaming activities."
The City of Monash also created a helpful web page.

14 April 2008 Inspection Notes:

Kid's Play Area
Yes. At other end of bistro facing Dandenong Road. Bistro was closed and could not report on internal set up.

'Cannot Win' talker signs
Best practice except for 4 pokies on back wall where all were placed too high so as not to be visible from video play face. Did not record whether Pokie #22 missing sign had been replaced.

Promotional Posters
Except for KENO, all other posters promoted pokies. There was also a lit KENO sign above the bar. Gamblers first see a Club KENO sign when entering gaming room. There is a sign on the smoking area door promoting KENO.Wild Cash Jackpots at the venue between $900 and $1000.Except for 1 poster promoted designated smoking area, all posters promote gambling.

Visibility from Eating Area
The bistro shares an entrance with the gaming room. It is a wide open area. The bistro is a large room and parts of it will have limited visibility to the gaming area.There is also a raised lounge area next to the gaming room with open entrance-ways between them.

17 May 2008 Inspection Notes:

'Cannot Win' talker signs
Best practice except for pokies 2, 3, and 4 on back wall where all were placed on top box. Pokie #45 was missing sign.

Eating in the Pokie Room
A tray of hot snacks was placed on the bar. Gamblers were helping themselves to these snacks and then returning to gamble at their pokies with food wrapped in serviettes.

Visible posting of availability of Self-Exclusion facility
VCGR page posted on wall which contains a paragraph with reference to self-exclusion.

General Comments
Construction appears to be a Dan Murphy's

14 June 2008 Inspection Notes:

'Cannot Win' talker signs
The signs on pokies 2, 3, and 4 on back wall were no longer placed on top box. Pokie #45 now has a sign. Unlike placement on most pokies at this hotel, the signs that were moved from the top box are not all placed against the animated reels on the video screen but above it thereby limiting visibility.

Vale website home page states (recorded - 15 November 2008)

"The Vale Bistro- relax and enjoy your favourite pub meals, while the children are entertained in our playground."

This implies that children need not be supervised leaving parents to gamble on pokies.

Vale website (recorded 29 March 2009)
The home page provides as follows:

"The Hotel today is an open plan Venue catering for all your dining, entertainment and beverage needs.
A large bright Gaming area, with smoking lounges, a cosy lounge bar where you can curl up next to the fire, a spacious public bar with pool tables and a four window TAB, a spacious bistro with indoor playground and play Stations for the kids and a Dan Murphy Bottleshop on our door step.
Theres something for everyone at "THE VALE".

This acknowledges and promotes the desirability of vision of pokies to all parts of the venue by use of the expression "open plan".

6 April 2009 Inspection

Regulation 17 talker signs
At or near animated reels. Signs on pokies on back wall finally moved.

Visible promotion of self exclusion facilities
None.

Number of posters on walls
7

Sights and sounds of pokies in the eating area
Pokie area located around the corner. Child play area at other end of eating area. Visible upon entry. Must walk through lounge area if entering from rear car park.

Child play area
Yes. Extra Play machine installed in the play area.

Gambler's Help notice / cards in toilet
2 posters with cards

Posters on pokie area.
9 posters. 1 indicating smoking area and another for beer. The remainder were for gambling inlcuding Easter Eggstravaganza, pokies, KENO and Jackpots with $ amounts.

Comments
Service device with button on them between the pokies "Press this button for drink service..." enables gamblers to be served drinks and continue gambling at their pokies.