Data reveals SA pokie hotspots and where the most money is lost

This is where South Australians have lost $831 million on pokies. Search and check our interactive table to see if it’s where you live and how your suburb compares.

A record-breaking $831 million was lost on poker machines in South Australia’s hotels and clubs last financial year – an average of more than $2.2 million a day.

While the largest loss was recorded in Port Adelaide Enfield, SA’s slots hot spot was Adelaide, with one machine for every 39 people, according to the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner.

SA hotels and clubs recorded a net gambling revenue – money played minus prizes won – of $831.12 million through electronic gaming machines in the year to June 30, 2022, and paid $356.23 million in gaming tax.

These figures were up on the previous year and up on pre-Covid figures, despite there now being 512 fewer machines than three years ago.

Additional money was lost on casino pokies, but this is not included in the data as casinos report revenue in a different way.

South Australian Council of Social Services chief executive Ross Womersley said it was an “extraordinary amount of effectivelywasted money”.

“This would be OK if we could be confident that everyone was gambling without compulsion and within limits that meant theyhad plenty left over to live a good life,” he said.

“We should have real measures of the cost of gambling harm on our community and this should regularly be made transparentand examined.”

The largest hotel and club poker machine losses were in the local government areas (LGAs) of Port Adelaide Enfield ($86.6 million), Salisbury ($84.6 million) and Onkaparinga ($71.8 million).

SA hotels and clubs recorded a net gambling revenue – money played minus prizes won – of $831.12 million through electronic gaming machines in the year to June 30, 2022.

Meanwhile, Adelaide LGA had the highest concentration of pokies, with a population of 25026 accessing 638 machines – one for every 39 people.

It was followed by Port Augusta (one machine for every 57 people) and Berri Barmera (one for every 64).

University of Sydney Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic director Sally Gainsbury said people continued to gamble during tough financial periods such as high inflation even though it seemed counterintuitive.

“Gambling is very accessible and the idea of a jackpot can be increasingly alluring to people in situations of financial distress,” the psychology professor said.

“(Another big reason people are gambling now) is that the mental health consequences that are coming out of Covid are very acute and we know that there is a very high correlation between mental health comorbidity and gambling problems – that when you’re experiencing anxiety or distress and other mental health issues, gambling is often a maladaptive coping mechanism.”

Professor Sally Gainsbury, The University of Sydney. Picture: Supplied

Professor Gainsbury said industry needed to take more responsibility for minimising gambling harm.

“Particularly where there are gaming machines, they needs to be dedicated staff, not just to make sure those rooms are clean, but to have conversations and check on customers,” she said.

“Venues should also be recording any instances there are of observable signs of gambling problems.”

Signs may include spending more than three hours gambling in a day, emotional outbursts, or comments such as “I really needed that win today”.

Professor Sainsbury supported the use of facial recognition technology that identified problem gamblers trying to enter a gaming area.

In SA, venues authorised to operate 30 or more gaming machines must have approved facial recognition technology installed to identify barred patrons.

Similar solutions have also been proposed in other states and territories.

Anybody negatively affected by gambling can contact Gambler’s Help for free and confidential online, phone and face-to-face services. Call 1800 858 858 (24/7) or visit gamblershelp.com.au

TOP 10 LOSING LGAs

Money lost on hotel and club poker machines in the year to June 2022.

(Excludes LGAs with fewer than five venues)

Port Adelaide Enfield: $86,565,328

Salisbury: $84,604,278

Onkaparinga: $71,839,394

Charles Sturt: $70,046,484

Playford: $46,719,633

West Torrens: $35,033,013

Norwood Payneham & St Peters: $34,157,855

Marion: $33,824,321

Holdfast Bay: $24,517,410

Adelaide: $24,395,378

TOP 10 SLOTS HOT SPOTS

Concentration of hotel and club poker machines, by LGA

(Excludes LGAs with fewer than five venues)

Adelaide: 1 machine for every 39 people

Port Augusta: 1 for every 57

Berri Barmera: 64

Yorke Peninsula: 66

Port Lincoln: 77

Norwood Payneham & St Peters: 81

Mid Murray: 83

Port Pirie: 89

Whyalla: 92

Loxton Waikerie: 96