Vic woman's $30K booze fraud from RSL

A woman who scammed a Melbourne RSL out of nearly $30,000 using fake gift vouchers to pay her drinking tabs has pledged to pay the money back.

Marion Mills, 62, has previously pleaded guilty to 80 charges of fraudulently using gift vouchers while she worked as the volunteer treasurer at the Upwey-Belgrave RSL sub-branch between 2010 and 2013.

According to court documents, Mills made 42 fraudulent payments on her own tab totalling $18,891.10, plus an extra 38 payments on her husband's accounts totalling $10,027.

While the RSL does use gift vouchers, they are only issued to members for their birthdays for a free $5 drink, although the sub-branch sometimes donates vouchers to local schools or porting clubs for $25 or $50 amounts.

In comparison, Mills was issuing the gift vouchers in their hundreds of dollars.

The fraudulent payments were discovered when the sub-branch was audited after it was discovered the organisation was in serious financial trouble.

Mill appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday, with her lawyer telling the court the sub-branch had a "loose" accounting structure, with volunteers often given drinks in exchange for work.

The court heard Mills suffered from depression, anxiety and a pokies addiction and although she was working full-time at the time of the offending, she was not earning enough to cover her spending.

Mills and her husband have promised to begin repaying the RSL at $50 to $100 a week.

Magistrate Susan Armour directed Mills to be assessed for a community corrections order.

The case was adjourned until Monday for sentence.