Tamworth punters lose a record $36.6 million in a year to local poker machines

New data from Liquor and Gaming NSW shows that the 15 local clubs with a poker machine license made a stratospheric $22 million profit in the second year of coronavirus. The 15 licensed hotels made $14 million.

The annual total profit of $36.6 million compares with a profit of just $28.8 million in 2020, and $32.4 million in 2019.

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Both earlier years were affected by circumstance, with the machines switched off for months in 2020 and losses in 2019 affected by the devastating drought, bushfire and water crises. Numbers are not adjusted for inflation.

Tamworth's gambling assistance agencies have previously blamed a reported increase in gambling losses on coronavirus, which has driven both an increase in the number of people gambling and the amount they lose.

The leader of the local Gamblers Anonymous (GA) group, who asked to remain anonymous, said that they haven't seen a huge influx of new gamblers looking for help, despite the increase in need.

He last placed a bet a quarter-of-a-century ago, but still attends meetings weekly, for fear of a relapse.

"I gambled with money that I didn't have," he said.

"You lose all your own money and then you go to the bank and try and borrow money. In those days banks just basically leant you anything you wanted. And all you're doing is digging yourself a deeper hole.

"I bet on everything. I spent most of my time gambling on race horses. If I lost at the race horses, I could finish up at a club somewhere, if I had any money left, and I start my poker machines."

Gamblers anonymous uses a similar 12-step procedure to alcoholics anonymous to treat a different problem, which he describes as a "disease".

"The first meeting is the hardest one to get to. Because you don't know who's the other side of the door. You think to yourself 'I wonder if there's anyone there I know'. That turns a lot of people off."

Most members say it's the best thing that they ever did.

The local GA leader strongly encouraged new gamblers to get in touch with them on 67665124

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He said the COVID-19 lockdowns have had a huge impact on people with gambling problems.

"If you're locked down in a house and you can't go out, there's every likelihood that when those restrictions are lifted the first thing you're going to do, if you're a gambler, is go and continue your gambling." he said.

"This has probably contributed to why gambling dollars have increased over the COVID period; once the lockdown restrictions are lifted, the first thing they headed for is a club or a pub where they can play poker machines. Or bet on race horses, whatever they want to do."

Tamworth's 698 pokies earnt an average profit of $52,435 per machine in the 2021 financial year.

The state's 87,537 poker machines made an overall profit of $6,542,413,950.

The statistics cover the period from July 1 2020 to June 30 2021.

Numbers from Liquor and Gaming are given as net profit, subtracting wins.

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