Top 10 Qld pokie hotspots and where the most money is lost

Queenslanders are losing more than $320,000 an hour as the state’s worst pokie hotspots can be revealed. Search our interactive table and see how your suburb compares.

More than $2.8 billion was lost on Queensland poker machines last financial year – an average of more than $320,000 an hour.

While the largest loss was recorded in Brisbane, the state’s slots hotspot was Mt Isa, with one machine for every 49 people and average loss of $1570 per capita.

Queensland’s Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) revealed the state’s hotels and clubs recorded a net gambling revenue – money played minus prizes won – of $2.823 billion through electronic gaming machines in the year to June 30, 2022.

It was only slightly down on the state’s record-breaking $2.88 billion the year before, despite there being 99 fewer gaming machines and 17 fewer gaming venues.

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

Qld’s hotels and clubs recorded a net gambling revenue through electronic gaming machines of $2.823 billion in the year to June 30, 2022.

The largest hotel and club pokies losses were in the local government areas (LGAs) of Brisbane ($591.2 million), Gold Coast ($392.4 million) and Moreton Bay ($251.3 million).

Meanwhile, the Torres LGA in Far North Queensland had the highest concentration of pokies, with a population of 3421 accessing 97 machines – roughly one for every 35 people.

OLGR would not release how much money was lost here for privacy reasons, however, as it had fewer than six gaming sites.

Other pokies hot spots included nearby Carpentaria (one machine for every 44 people), Longreach (one for every 48) and Mt Isa (one for every 49).

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.

This is already mandatory in South Australian gaming venues authorised to operate 30 or more gaming machines.

An OLGR spokeswoman said the Queensland Government had plans to trial facial recognition technology to support self-exclusion in 2022-23.

“OLGR will also commence a review of the Queensland Responsible Gambling Code of Practice and mandatory harm minimisation requirements,” she said.

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.

Brisbane: $591,221,598

Gold Coast: $392,412,076

Moreton Bay: $251,281,820

Logan: $190,486,454

Sunshine Coast: $172,946,105

Cairns: $125,381,481

Townsville: $116,207,596

Ipswich: $109,694,464

Mackay: $96,824,936

Toowoomba: $85,080,903

TOP 10 SLOTS HOT SPOTS

Concentration of hotel and club poker machines, by LGA

Torres: 1 machine for every 35 people

Carpentaria: 1 for every 44

Longreach: 48

Mount Isa: 49

Weipa: 52

Flinders: 54

Cloncurry: 58

Balonne: 66

Paroo: 67

Goondiwindi: 67