Revealed: Punters losing $11,803 an hour on Northern Territory pokies

TERRITORY punters have lost a whopping $103 million on poker machines in the past year — the equivalent of $283,279 a day or $11,803 an hour

Territory punters have lost a whopping $103 million on poker machines in the past year — the equivalent of $283,279 a day or $11,803 an hour

TERRITORY punters have lost a whopping $103 million on poker machines in the past year — the equivalent of $283,279 a day or $11,803 an hour.

The Director-General of Licensing’s annual report shows total pokies losses in pubs and clubs skyrocketed by nearly $11 million from $92.461 million to $103.397 million during the past financial year.

Pokie machines in the NT’s two casinos, Mindil Beach Casino Resort (formerly known as Skycity Darwin) and Lasseters Casino pulled in $54.14 million and $21.73 million from punters respectively.

Amity Community Services CEO Nicola Coalter said she wasn’t surprised pokie losses had skyrocketed after the NT Government increased the number of gaming machines clubs could operate from 45 to 55 in 2015.

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“The more pokies there are in a venue, the more people are likely to use them; it’s that simple,” she said.

Ms Coalter said on average 100 people reached out to Amity for gambling support in Darwin each year, mostly men aged 34-54.

“Studies show only 10 per cent of people who need help ask for it due to shame,” she said. “We get calls from locals who are in so deep that they are sitting at the slots for hours on end, neglecting their family and spiralling down a dark path because they are so stressed about all the money they’ve lost. I think the NT needs to follow New Zealand’s lead and introduce a sinking lid policy on poker machines, with no new licences being issued.

“That way when places like Rorkes and the Palmerston Sports Club close down, their machines can’t be used to fill up other venues and numbers gradually fall.”

The NT had 1716 licensed gaming machines as of June 2018, down 13 from the previous year.

Attorney-General Natasha Fyles reviewed the NT’s community gaming machine cap last year and cut it down from 1852 to 1734 in an effort to reduce problem gambling.

She said at this stage there were no plans to reduce the cap further but it would be up for consideration in future.

“Too many Territorians experience the effects of gambling-related harm. We need to do everything we can to help with addiction,” she said.

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“We have implemented the Territory’s first ever online multi-venue exclusion system, which is currently being used by 56 venues and nine NGOs.”

A spokesman from NT Gambling Care, an initiative under Hospitality NT, saidself-exclusion was an important tool to help the 1 per cent of the Territory’s population who identify as problem gamblers.

“Clubs, hotels and the casinos have all come together to get NT Gambling Care up and running and show industry’s commitment to responsible gaming,” he said.

“Our system tries to be as easy to use as possible for the client, venues and counselling providers.

“People who think their gambling is getting away from them should call the 24-hour Territory Wide Gambling Helpline 1800 858 858.”

The report also reveals a list* of the Territory’s top 20 best playing slots, based on the machine gaming metered wins for 2017-18 (see below).

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TOP 10 LICENSED CLUBS

Casuarina All Sports Club

Cazalys Palmerston Club Inc.

Club Eastside

Darwin RSL Club

Gillen Club

Katherine Club

Katherine Country Club

Nightcliff Sports Club

Palmerston Sports Club — The Hub

Tracy Village Social and Sports Club

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TOP 10 LICENSED HOTELS/TAVERNS

Airport Hotel

Bell Bar and Bistro

The Cav

Hibiscus Tavern

Howard Springs Tavern

Humpty Doo Tavern

Monsoons

Palmerston Tavern

Parap Village Tavern

Plaza Karama Tavern

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*Both lists are ranked in alphabetical order