Despite a cost of living crisis, Australians have lost an astonishing $14.5 billion to poker machines in the last financial year, with New South Wales accounting for more than half that staggering sum.
The heavy losses do not include money gambled away on the pokies inside casinos, nor the multi-billions lost on the gambling industry's activities in sports or horse and greyhound racing.
The $14.5 billion fed into the machines in pubs and clubs across five states easily eclipsed the losses suffered in 2018-19, the last full financial year uninterrupted by COVID restrictions, according to new research by the Alliance for Gambling Reform.
Although Australia has less than half a per cent of the world's population, it has 20 per cent of its pokies and 80 per cent of machines outside casinos.
Data released by the alliance today showed NSW residents lost $8.07 billion to electronic gaming machines (EGM) in the last financial year, up 23.7 per cent on 2018-19.
Queenslanders suffered the next heaviest losses, $3.2 billion, up 33.6 per cent in the same period, with Victoria up 12 per cent to $3 billion.
There was a 34.6 per cent jump in South Australia, with residents losing $917 million, while Tasmanians lost almost $190 million, up 10.5 per cent.
Chief executive of the alliance Carol Bennett told 9news.com.au the latest data was "really worrying" and clearly showed governments need to more heavily regulate the industry, such as the fast-tracking of mandatory cashless gambling cards.
"These staggering new loss figures show an industry that is out of control. And these figures don't even count poker machine losses in our casinos," she said.
"The losses translate into very high levels of harm right across our community, whether it be financial loss, family breakdown, family violence, anxiety, depression, even suicide.
"It has a big impact in our community and it's an impact that we need to address."
The ripple effect is large.
While impossible to know exact figures, a NSW Crime Commission report estimated criminals launder billions each year through the machines, the proceeds of organised crime coming from drugs, sex work, human trafficking and other illicit activity.
Bennett said the 87,000 pokie machines in New South Wales make it "the hub" of Australia's gambling problem.
"What's really worrying is that these figures are post-COVID," Bennett said.
"And post-COVID we see a sharp financial rise in the losses to poker machines right across the country."
According to a 2017 government report which set out examine the risks of EGMs, one key finding was how the machines run "sophisticated techniques" designed to maximise people's spending and time playing.
The EGMs successfully employed complex "game maths" and "psychological principals" to maximise bet sizes and usage.
This increased the addictive potential of EGMs, the report warned.
Pokie machines were a hot topic on the campaign trail heading into the NSW election earlier this year.
Bennett accused the new Minns government of "moving too slowly" and was critical of its limited trial of cashless gaming cards, which ousted premier Dominic Perrottet had planned to bring in as mandatory had he won this year's election.
If you have a problem with gambling help is available. Contact Lifeline 13 11 14 or Gamblers Anonymous www.gaaustralia.org.au or Gambleaware 1800 858 858
