Gaming regulator approves 70 pokies for local football club in ‘hard-hit’ Melbourne suburb

Stuart McDonald’s 10-year addiction to the pokies began while watching the football at the Whitten Oval and Docklands Stadium.

“During the half-time break I would go down and put significant amounts in the pokies, then I’d wander back upstairs feeling depressed and miserable,” he said.

It didn’t take long to turn into a full-blown addiction.

“One time I emptied the entire bank account and had to…