NSW poker machine losses hit AU$2.17bn in 90 days
Wesley Mission urges Government to intervene as losses top AU$24m (US$16m) daily.
Key points:
– New data reveals over AU$3,200 average loss per person in parts of NSW
– Critics accuse Government of bowing to industry pressure
– Wesley Mission calls for urgent harm-reduction measures
As reported by Wesley Mission, poker machine losses across New South Wales have surged to AU$2.17bn (US$1.45bn) in the first quarter of 2025, prompting renewed criticism of the Minns Government’s response to gambling harm.
According to the analysis of Liquor and Gaming NSW figures, losses now exceed AU$24m each day, or more than AU$1m every hour. For the first time, the data also offers an estimate of losses per resident by Local Government Area. Fairfield tops the list with an average of AU$3,255 per person, followed by Burwood-Strathfield at AU$2,511 and Cumberland at AU$2,180.
Wesley Mission CEO Rev Stu Cameron labelled the situation “morally indefensible,” accusing the Government of siding with powerful club and hotel interests at the expense of vulnerable communities. He described the Government’s actions so far as “policy paralysis,” offering the gambling sector “a gift of inaction.”
Good to know: There are now 87,789 poker machines operating across the state, with regional areas such as the Central Coast and Newcastle losing AU$83.9m and AU$47.5m respectively in the first 90 days of the year
Cameron reiterated calls for immediate measures, including mandatory shutdowns from midnight to 10am, the rollout of a cashless gambling card with harm-reduction limits, and stricter caps on machines in high-risk areas.
A performance audit by the NSW Audit Office, scheduled for release on 12 June, is expected to highlight failures in the current regulatory approach. Wesley Mission, which provides crisis services for those impacted by gambling, continues to urge for reforms to match the scale of harm.
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