Research carried out by the Gambling and Social Determinants Unit at Monash University has revealed that Australians lost over $11.4 billion (€7.8 billion) on pokies (gambling machines) during the financial year 2021/22.
Research only includes losses on pokie machines in pubs and clubs
According to the study, gambling losses in Victoria and NSW declined by around 17% due to lockdowns due to the global pandemic. However, Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania saw increases in overall losses when compared to pre-pandemic 2018/19 figures. The data was collected from pokie machines in pubs and clubs only and does not include data from machines located in casinos. As a result, Western Australia was not included as it does not allow pokie machines in pubs or clubs.
The report goes on to highlight that Victorians saw the biggest overall losses as gamblers in the state lost $2.2 billion (€1.5 billion) during 2021/22. The data reveals that the average Victorian pokie machine user lost around $2800 (€1914) during the period. Meanwhile in New South Wales, the average user lost approximately $4525 (€2908) during the same period.
Speaking of the results, Charles Livingstone, the head of Monash University’s Gambling and Social Determinants Unit, said:
“For whatever reason, people decided to get back into the clubs and spend lots of money. My hypothesis is it’s a consequence of the stresses and strains people have been living under.”
Chief advocate at the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Tim Costello, said:
“It goes up under stress. People literally either get some relief from sitting in the zone in front of the machine, or they have a belief: I’m stuffed anyway, I can’t pay the rent or the mortgage anyway, but the pokies are maybe a shot.”
Costello has called for the Australian government to establish a national gambling regulator. This would help to highlight financial and social consequences of pokie machine addiction in Australia.
He went on to add:
“The federal government must establish a national gambling harm regulator that can coordinate efforts to reduce the terrible toll gambling is wrecking on Australian society.
A regulator can bring the states together, it can progressively reduce the number of poker machines, it can fast-track harm minimisation measures such as digital wallets. At the moment there is no coordination and no will to act.
The courts are clogged with crime, kids are going hungry. It’s estimated 25 per cent of domestic violence comes from pokies losses and gambling losses. The picture of social misery is quite extraordinary, particularly in the poorest postcodes.”
Despite the calls for federal intervention, Federal Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said that while the government can legislate for online sports betting in Australia, the regulation of pokie machines must be handled at local government level.
Olivia has worked as an editor and writer for major brands across multiple niches. She now focuses on the iGaming and sports betting industries.