Pokies profits increase as punters lose $630m in November alone

Poker machine profits continue to increase across NSW with gamblers losing more than $630 million last month. See the top local government areas for pokies profits.

Pokie profits for clubs and hotels are continuing to soar in the pandemic with new gambling data showing punters in NSW lost more than $630 million last month.

And Sydney’s west and south western suburbs topped the list for venue profits, with punters in Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield, Cumberland and Blacktown local government areas leading the losses.

The NSW Liquor and Gaming data showed the total net gaming machine profit for November this year was $631,224,889 — an increase of $48,509,110 compared with the same month last year.

Venues in the Canterbury-Bankstown local government area recorded a total net profit of more than $56 million, with those in Fairfield surpassing $52 million.

Cumberland local government area venues recorded a $35 million net profit, followed by those in Blacktown with $28 million, and City of Sydney with $27 million.

Poker machine profits are on the rise across NSW.

The release of the figures comes as the NSW Crime Commission accounted on Friday that it would hold an inquiry into poker machine money laundering amid ongoing concerns gaming machines were being used for money laundering.

In a move welcomed by NSW Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello who had long been pushing for an inquiry, Commissioner Michael Barnes said the authority would seek to determine the level of involvement by crime syndicate.

“We know pubs and clubs deliver valuable community services and are assured ClubsNSW, the peak body for the industry, is committed to stamping out illegality,” he said.

“However, we expect the expert investigators, data analysts, lawyers and intelligence officers working on this project to uncover activities not previously known to operators or regulators that will assist to ensure pubs and clubs stay profitable while the community is protected.”

Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello has been pushing for an inquiry into pokies. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Damian Shaw

The Sunday Telegraph revealed in March this year how a secret NSW government audit of two NSW venues uncovered scores of suspicious transactions over the course of 24 hours.

The audit was followed by an investigation of individual gaming machine transactions of five licensed venues across metropolitan and regional areas.

The investigation related to evidence of suspicious activity, which included money being put in to a machine before being cashed out without being played.

As part of the inquiry, the Commission is calling for submissions regarding the nature and extent of money laundering through licensed venues in NSW with members of the public, academics with an interest in the area, current or past employees of pubs or clubs invited to make submissions.

Mr Dominello, who was strongly criticised within the industry over his calls for an inquiry with some pushing for Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres to take over his portfolio, said he was pleased the Commission would once and for all investigate the link between organised crime and gaming.

“It will for the first time explore the link between organised crime and how these evil organisations use pokies to launder the proceeds of crime across our state,” he said.

The deadline for submissions is January 28, 2022.

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