Record $831m lost: South Australia’s worst pokie hotspots revealed

More than $831m was lost on pokies in South Australian pubs and clubs over the last financial year despite 500 fewer machines, with these areas the hardest hit.

The pubs and clubs landscape across Adelaide and South Australia is undergoing a dramatic transformation, as hoteliers prioritise people over profits.

Poker machines – dubbed “culturally and socially unacceptable” – are slowly disappearing from South Australian venues in favour of more family-friendly entertainment.

There are 512 fewer gaming machines operating across the state's pubs and clubs compared with the end of 2019 – before the pandemic.

Alliance for Gambling Reform chief executive Carol Bennett said communities’ dislike for pokie dens was being acknowledged by venues that offered other forms of entertainment, such as live music or bowling.

“New and innovative business models are being embraced by many venues which find that they are receiving positive public support,” she said.

“Of course, state governments want to be seen to be reducing poker machine caps but their reliance on pokies revenue has resulted in a slow pace of change.”

Despite declining poker machine numbers, player losses continue to rise, according to the latest data from SA’s Consumer and Business Services.

About $831.1m was lost on poker machines in the state’s hotels and clubs over the 2021-2022 financial year alone – about $149.5m more than 2018-2019, pre-pandemic.

Punters in the Port Adelaide Enfield area copped the brunt, with about $86.6m lost, up 19 per cent on 2018-19. They were followed by Salisbury at $84.6m, up 27 per cent.

Since the end of 2020, the state government has introduced gambling reforms including a $250-a-day cash withdrawal limit at premises with gaming machines and facial recognition technology in venues with 30 or more machines if any accept banknotes to help identify people at risk of harm who have been barred.

Tim Costello says more need to be done to minimise gambling harm. Picture: Alan Barber

Alliance’ chief advocate Tim Costello has called for the introduction of a universal cashless card to minimise losses through set dollar limits and address money laundering through reduced anonymity.

He also said restricted operating hours, restricted advertising, and changes to “deceptive” gaming machine tactics were needed – specifically “losses disguised as wins”.

“A near miss is complete nonsense (but) it releases dopamine and is highly addictive and deceptive,” he said.

The SA Consumer and Business Services data showed the amount of money spent on pokies had continued to increase despite cost of living pressures.

“We know it particularly targets those feeling hopeless or lonely and we see that particularly if you are a woman and middle aged,” said Mr Costello.

“It’s like heroin – unless you get help, you can’t stop.”

Carolyn Crawford had never had so much as a parking ticket before stealing $400,000 from her employer over seven years to fund her gambling addiction.

At age 64, she was sentenced to 18 months jail.

Now 71, she has paid back all the money but has been left with nothing – no property, no superannuation, no inheritance, and nothing to leave her two sons.

Still, Ms Crawford considers herself lucky.

“I can’t believe a little coloured machine has done so much damage to my brain,” she said.

“Some people have taken their lives because of them.”

Two-thirds of the women in prison with her were there because of gambling, according to Ms Crawford, and many were disowned by their families.

“That’s sad because it’s not the person, it’s the brain being taken over by this horrible predatory industry,” she said.

“I am one of the lucky ones because I still have my family.”

Carolyn Crawford is a reformed gambler, who spent time in jail and now helps problem gamblers recover from their addiction. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Ms Crawford’s habit began when her husband left her and a man she was interested in romantically began inviting her to play pokies.

She was lonely and wanted to spend time with him but was soon addicted to the dopamine hit that came with the colours, lights, music and spins of the machines.

“Once I was addicted, time didn’t matter, winning didn’t matter – it was about being in front of that machine,” she said.

“I used to get p*ssed off when I got free spins because I wasn’t the one pushing the button.

“I went most days and most weekends and wouldn’t wake up thinking ‘How is my dad, who was dying with cancer?’ or ‘How are my grandkids?’. I’d be thinking, ‘Where am I going tonight?’.

“In my mind, addiction was a needle in your arm or something you swallowed, not a light in front of your eyes.

“It’s like heroin – unless you get help, you can’t stop.”

Ms Crawford has been out of prison for about seven years and sworn herself off pokies.

But last month she lapsed for the first time and sat down at a machine.

“I’d had a bad day,” she said.

“Luckily I was on the self-exclusion list and they asked me to leave.”

A national self-exclusion register, BetStop, is set to launch August 21, allowing people to ban themselves from betting and gambling across the country for at least three months and as long as a lifetime.

For people who opt in, wagering providers will be required to close all betting accounts and must not let them place a bet, let them open a new account, or send them marketing messages.

Originally published as Record $831m lost: South Australia’s worst pokie hotspots revealed