Recent statistics provided by the Liquor and Gaming NSW have shown that the amount lost on clubs and pubs’ pokies by Wellington and Dubbo-based players in 2018 is estimated to about AU$38 million. According to reports, 27 venues in the Dubbo Regional Council area collected overall net gaming machine profits of AU$37,943,741 in 2018. In comparison, the net poker machine profits in 2017 amounted to AU$36,799,817.
There were 696 gambling machines in the community at the end of 2018, compared to 730 at the end of 2017. The reduced number of pokies, however, has not affected the increase registered in player losses and venue profits last year. According to figures provided by the regulator, the overall net profit figure for 2018 meant that the amount that could have been collected by each poker machine in the local council area was AU$54,516.
As revealed by the Liquor and Gaming Commission in New South Wales (NSW), the amount paid in tax by local venues on their pokie profits in 2018 was AU$8,404,231. This marked an increase in comparison to the AU$7,923,004 paid in tax a year earlier.
Some data regarding the most profitable clubs in the area was also available. Dubbo RSL was the Dubbo Regional Council area club which generated the largest profits from poker machines over the second half of 2018. Club Dubbo and Wellington Soldiers Memorial Club were second and third, respectively. The top five was completed by Dubbo City Bowling Club and Dubbo Railway Bowling.
On the other hand, the most profitable poker machines in the area for 2018 were the ones of the Macquarie Inn.
Gambling Addiction Prevalence Rate Is Low by International Standards, ClubsNSW Says
The Alliance for Gambling Reform’s campaigner Tim Costello claimed that a staggering amount of AU$779,000 an hour was lost on a total of 93,165 pokies in the state of NSW last year. He described that as a “social disaster” which needs to be urgently addressed by the competent authorities and called for the NSW Government to impose new maximum bet limits of AU$1 on poker machines, to reduce the operating hours of pokies and suspend any bonuses and loyal customer programs which could encourage players to continue gambling.
A spokesperson for ClubsNSW, however, explained that the Dubbo Regional Council area’s clubs are some of the largest contributors to the local community. According to the information provided by the spokesperson, they currently employ 291 local people, make a social contribution of AU$7.5 million, and also donate an amount of over AU$412,000 on an annual basis to charity organisations, community groups and sports teams through the ClubGRANTS scheme.
Furthermore, the ClubsNSW spokesperson explained that figures provided by the state government show that the gambling addiction prevalence rate in the state is 0.8% of the adult population of New South Wales, and is not considered a large percentage by international standards. They also reminded that ClubsNSW has developed a number of harm-minimisation initiatives known as ClubSAFE program aimed at the few people who really have a problem with gambling. A self-exclusion scheme valid for multiple venues across the area is also available to the ones who would like to voluntarily prevent themselves from gambling at every pub and club in Wellington and Dubbo.
- Author
Olivia Cole
