Quarterly data for the last three months of 2022 reveal that the people of NSW lost $2.08 billion to poker machines in just 92 days with the heaviest losses concentrated in some of the state’s most disadvantaged communities.
The data from Liquor and Gaming NSW and analysed by Wesley Mission also reveals that total poker machine losses for the entire year reached a record $8.08 billion.
“$8.1 billion is $1000 lost for every person in our state in 2022. This is money that should have been helping families weather the cost-of-living crisis but instead has gone to propping up a harmful and predatory industry”, says Wesley Mission CEO and Superintendent Rev Stu Cameron.
“The pain of broken individuals and families and the harm caused to communities behind these numbers is immense. Losses of this scale underpin the urgency for sensible, proportionate and effective reform.
“It is vital now more than ever for the new NSW Government, and the opposition to come together in a genuine bi-partisan approach to enact reforms in this term of Parliament.”
Canterbury-Bankstown remains the local government area with the highest losses with $179 million dollars lost in 92 days or just under $2 million a day.
Pubs in every Sydney council area – bar two, posted annual record poker machine losses and almost 80% (79.4%) of Sydney Clubs reported their highest profits due to poker machines.
Cameron says, “Given this ongoing upward trajectory of gambling harm, NSW is experiencing a poker machine fuelled public health crisis that wrecks the lives of too many people.
“Wesley Mission sees the devastating 24/7 harm caused by these ubiquitous machines. It really beggars belief that any resistance to real reform could remain.
The data has also revealed some dramatic increases in losses in some rural and regional areas.
Albury-Greater Hume Clubs re-appeared in the top 10 Regional LGAs with losses for the 92 days of almost $19 million ($18, 924, 930) equating to $205, 706 each day for the quarter.
Top 10 Regional LGAs by losses for the 4th Quarter 2022
| LGA - Establishments | Sum of Net losses | No. of EGM | No. of Premises | Daily losses |
| Central Coast | 80,167,628 | 4191 | 64 | 871,387 |
| Clubs | 58,919,887 | 3565 | 36 | 640,434 |
| Hotels | 21,247,741 | 626 | 28 | 230,954 |
| Wollongong | 49,855,760 | 2784 | 64 | 541,910 |
| Clubs | 33,439,406 | 2212 | 35 | 363,472 |
| Hotels | 16,416,355 | 572 | 29 | 178,439 |
| Newcastle | 48,359,806 | 2762 | 85 | 525,650 |
| Clubs | 28,023,408 | 1878 | 29 | 304,602 |
| Hotels | 20,336,398 | 884 | 56 | 221,048 |
| Shoalhaven | 23,965,793 | 1612 | 36 | 260,498 |
| Clubs | 19,527,335 | 1388 | 22 | 212,254 |
| Hotels | 4,438,458 | 224 | 14 | 48,244 |
| Lake Macquarie | 37,985,978 | 2323 | 57 | 412,891 |
| Clubs | 23,760,672 | 1846 | 33 | 258,268 |
| Hotels | 14,225,306 | 477 | 24 | 154,623 |
| Tweed | 27,462,062 | 1816 | 27 | 298,501 |
| Clubs | 22,137,410 | 1624 | 15 | 240,624 |
| Hotels | 5,324,651 | 192 | 12 | 57,877 |
| Mid-Coast | 19,985,378 | 1374 | 48 | 217,232 |
| Clubs | 13,216,132 | 1092 | 28 | 143,654 |
| Hotels | 6,769,245 | 282 | 20 | 73,579 |
| Port Macquarie-Hastings | 19,334,606 | 1176 | 28 | 210,159 |
| Clubs | 14,278,685 | 980 | 14 | 155,203 |
| Hotels | 5,055,921 | 196 | 14 | 54,956 |
| Albury, Greater Hume | 18,924,930 | 912 | 8 | 205,706 |
| Clubs | 18,924,930 | 912 | 8 | 205,706 |
| Murray River | 18,302,413 | 1002 | 14 | 198,939 |
| Clubs | 16,047,932 | 933 | 10 | 174,434 |
| Hotels | 2,254,481 | 69 | 4 | 24,505 |
| Grand Total | 688,688,705 | 39,904 | 862 | 7,485,747 |
Top 10 NSW LGAs by Net losses for the 4th Quarter 2022
| LGAs – Establishments | Sum of Net Profit | Sum of Tax | Sum of EGM # | Sum of Premises # | daily losses |
| Canterbury-Bankstown | 178,916,137 | 56,257,192 | 4735 | 60 | 1,944,741 |
| Clubs | 101,170,980 | 23,752,624 | 3822 | 27 | 1,099,685 |
| Hotels | 77,745,157 | 32,504,568 | 913 | 33 | 845,056 |
| Fairfield | 160,779,481 | 48,813,854 | 3788 | 36 | 1,747,603 |
| Clubs | 107,817,256 | 25,979,002 | 3281 | 17 | 1,171,927 |
| Hotels | 52,962,225 | 22,834,852 | 507 | 19 | 575,676 |
| Cumberland | 119,815,822 | 39,173,216 | 2701 | 32 | 1,302,346 |
| Clubs | 65,924,962 | 15,690,526 | 2179 | 14 | 716,576 |
| Hotels | 53,890,860 | 23,482,690 | 522 | 18 | 585,770 |
| Sydney | 93,566,847 | 30,652,546 | 3388 | 163 | 1,017,031 |
| Clubs | 5,788,381 | 1,009,509 | 367 | 6 | 62,917 |
| Hotels | 87,778,466 | 29,643,037 | 3021 | 157 | 954,114 |
| Blacktown | 90,882,046 | 27,942,274 | 2839 | 36 | 987,848 |
| Clubs | 47,411,053 | 11,120,020 | 2114 | 10 | 515,338 |
| Hotels | 43,470,993 | 16,822,254 | 725 | 26 | 472,511 |
| Central Coast | 80,167,628 | 18,516,119 | 4191 | 64 | 871,387 |
| Clubs | 58,919,887 | 11,400,780 | 3565 | 36 | 640,434 |
| Hotels | 21,247,741 | 7,115,339 | 626 | 28 | 230,954 |
| Georges River | 63,601,619 | 18,878,343 | 2053 | 30 | 691,322 |
| Clubs | 35,077,924 | 7,504,298 | 1627 | 15 | 381,282 |
| Hotels | 28,523,695 | 11,374,045 | 426 | 15 | 310,040 |
| Parramatta | 60,326,988 | 19,046,193 | 1833 | 33 | 655,728 |
| Clubs | 26,432,094 | 5,766,843 | 1233 | 11 | 287,305 |
| Hotels | 33,894,894 | 13,279,350 | 600 | 22 | 368,423 |
| Penrith | 59,319,970 | 16,650,518 | 2462 | 34 | 644,782 |
| Clubs | 35,161,116 | 7,689,934 | 1988 | 15 | 382,186 |
| Hotels | 24,158,854 | 8,960,584 | 474 | 19 | 262,596 |
| Campbelltown | 51,460,557 | 14,548,877 | 1870 | 20 | 559,354 |
| Clubs | 34,037,036 | 7,958,290 | 1557 | 9 | 369,968 |
| Hotels | 17,423,521 | 6,590,587 | 313 | 11 | 189,386 |
| Grand Total | 1,917,674,190 | 580,958,263 | 59,720 | 1,016 | 20,844,285 |
Top 10 Metro LGAs by Net losses for the 4th Quarter 2022
| LGAs - Establishments | Sum of Net losses | No. of EGM | No. of Premises | Daily losses |
| Canterbury-Bankstown | 178,916,137 | 4735 | 60 | 1,944,741 |
| Clubs | 101,170,980 | 3822 | 27 | 1,099,685 |
| Hotels | 77,745,157 | 913 | 33 | 845,056 |
| Fairfield | 160,779,481 | 3788 | 36 | 1,747,603 |
| Clubs | 107,817,256 | 3281 | 17 | 1,171,927 |
| Hotels | 52,962,225 | 507 | 19 | 575,676 |
| Cumberland | 119,815,822 | 2701 | 32 | 1,302,346 |
| Clubs | 65,924,962 | 2179 | 14 | 716,576 |
| Hotels | 53,890,860 | 522 | 18 | 585,770 |
| Sydney | 93,566,847 | 3388 | 163 | 1,017,031 |
| Clubs | 5,788,381 | 367 | 6 | 62,917 |
| Hotels | 87,778,466 | 3021 | 157 | 954,114 |
| Blacktown | 90,882,046 | 2839 | 36 | 987,848 |
| Clubs | 47,411,053 | 2114 | 10 | 515,338 |
| Hotels | 43,470,993 | 725 | 26 | 472,511 |
| Parramatta | 60,326,988 | 1833 | 33 | 655,728 |
| Clubs | 26,432,094 | 1233 | 11 | 287,305 |
| Hotels | 33,894,894 | 600 | 22 | 368,423 |
| Penrith | 59,319,970 | 2462 | 34 | 644,782 |
| Clubs | 35,161,116 | 1988 | 15 | 382,186 |
| Hotels | 24,158,854 | 474 | 19 | 262,596 |
| Campbelltown | 51,460,557 | 1870 | 20 | 559,354 |
| Clubs | 34,037,036 | 1557 | 9 | 369,968 |
| Hotels | 17,423,521 | 313 | 11 | 189,386 |
| Liverpool | 50,957,286 | 1406 | 20 | 553,884 |
| Clubs | 26,289,525 | 1063 | 8 | 285,756 |
| Hotels | 24,667,761 | 343 | 12 | 268,128 |
| Bayside | 45,721,283 | 1520 | 34 | 496,970 |
| Clubs | 18,770,688 | 1092 | 19 | 204,029 |
| Hotels | 26,950,595 | 428 | 15 | 292,941 |
| Grand Total | 1,823,492,833 | 53,084 | 936 | 19,820,573 |
Background
Wesley Mission provides practical care and support for more than 130,000 people annually in NSW and across Australia, including help for people experiencing homelessness, local community action groups preventing suicide, and gambling and financial counselling among more than 120 programs. www.wesleymission.org.au
Wesley Mission is currently running the ‘Pokies. You’re Being Played’ campaign to keep poker machine reform on the agenda as the new parliament begins next month. People can make a stand to support poker machine reform by signing up at: www.yourebeingplayed.com.au
Rev Stu Cameron is available for interview.
Media contacts:
Anne Holt on 0418 628 342 or anne.holt@wesleymission.org.au
Jim Wackett on 0448 415 546 or jim.wackett@wesleymission.org.au