Data reveals Tasmania’s worst poker machine hotspots by suburb

Tasmanians are losing more than $47 million as the state’s worst pokies hot spots can be revealed. Search our interactive table and see how your suburb compares.

The City of Glenorchy just north of Hobart has been named as the slot machine capital of Tasmania, racking up almost $5 million in losses in just the first three months of the year.

The area just north of Hobart home to more than 50,000 people outstripped both Launceston and Hobart which recorded losses of $4m and $1m respectively.

Australia’s most southern state from January to March of this year saw punters in pubs and clubs lose more than $27m on the pokies. That number skyrockets to more than $47m when electronic gaming machines at casino’s are included.

Independent Clark MP Kristie Johnston, who has long advocated for gaming reform in Tasmania, said she wasn’t shocked by the figures, particularly for Glenorchy, where she was once mayor.

“It’s not surprising, given the lack of harm minimisation measures implemented by the [state] government. They’ve had multiple opportunities to do something about helping people who are most disadvantaged and particularly in the northern suburbs, which is a golden mile of poker machines in Tasmania,” she said.

“They had the opportunity to be nation-leading with the mandatory pre-commitment card and squibbed it. And it’s a real disappointment that they’re not actually addressing the issue of addiction.”

Along with her fellow crossbenchers, Ms Johnston will play the role of kingmaker in the new parliament, with both major parties set to court her support as they seek to form government.

She said she would be pushing for new harm minimisation measures in negotiations with the Liberal and Labor parties, including the cashless gaming card, slower spin speeds, and $1 bet limits.

The Alliance for Gambling Reform’s Chief Advocate Tim Costello, said cashless cards were the key for state governments seeking to address the harms of gambling addiction, as it “allows you to lock in your losses before you’re in front of a hypnotising machine.”

Facial recognition was mandated by the South Australian government in 2022 for venues with 30 or more gaming machines.

However Mr Costello described the technology as a “crock”.

“Trusting pubs and clubs with facial recognition and the data to self-exclude or intervene is like putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank,” he said.

The Victorian parliament just last month established a framework for carded play, and required all new machines to have a slower spin rate.

The City of Glenorchy just north of Hobart has been named as the slot machine capital of Tasmania. Picture: Supplied

A trial of cashless gaming set for the coming months was postponed, however, following the NSW government’s 2024 trial which was lambasted after only 14 of the 243 participants were determined to have actively participated in the scheme.

“Minns promised a trial of the technology and turned it into a trial of whether the punters liked it … It’s like trialling plain packaging to see if smokers prefer it. It’s ridiculous,” he said.

“Because Victoria’s broke, they looked at the revenue coming in from pokies and they said state coffers need it, you know if there’s reform there will be less revenue, so they postponed the trial.”

The Duke of Enmore pub in Sydney has removed poker machines in favour of other ways to create revenue. The pokie space I now set for live bands and entertainment. Picture: Supplied

But while state governments stall on gambling reform, some venues have ripped out electronic gaming machines entirely, like Sydney’s Odd Culture hospitality group.

The outfit which now operates 5 venues across Sydney, including the Old Fitzroy Hotel and the Duke of Enmore, has a strict no pokies policy.

Odd Culture’s Entertainment and operations Manager Sabrina Medcalf, said while the decision meant a “slower burn” for revenue, it was “sustainable, ethical and therefore quite rewarding”.

“We’ve never relied on pokies ever to drive revenue … instead we’re now able to have live gigs, trivia and jazz nights, wine tastings, and theatre performances,” she said.

“From the outset our philosophy has been, you know, pretty clear. Our venues are places of connection and creativity and culture.”

The Australian Hotels Association and Clubs Australia were contacted for comment.

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

Originally published as Data reveals Tasmania’s worst poker machine hotspots by suburb