NT remote communities lose big, gambling statistics reveal

Territorians lost close to $150 million to gambling machines in the past year, but it’s the remote communities’ losses that has drawn the ire of a senior advocate. Read what he said.

The NT government has been slammed for its “abject failure” to protect remote communities after the true extent of poker machine losses in remote communities was revealed.

This week, data released from the NT government showed almost $150 million was lost to poker machines across the Territory over the past financial year.

Of that amount, more than $20 million was lost in remote communities where there are 192 gaming machines across 14 venues.

By contrast, Alice Springs and Katherine lost $13 million and $11 million respectively.

Darwin, with 722 machines, lost more than $67 million.

Territory statistics from FY 22/23 on gambling machine losses. Supplied by NT Department of INdustry, Tourism and Trade.

Alliance of Gambling chief advocate Tim Costello lashed the figures as “an abject failure” by the government.

“This is an abject failure by the NT government in protecting the most vulnerable people in the Territory,” he said.

“We know those pokies license are issued by the NT government – the Territory exists to protect the most vulnerable and you don’t give out those licenses when they do damage like that.”

Mr Costello said gambling addiction was nationwide, but maintained its impact was “carving up” Indigenous communities in particular.

“This is something that the Territory government can act on to actually protect Indigenous people,” he said.

Chief Advocate for the Alliance of Gambling Tim Costello said the figures were “an abject failure by the NT government”. Picture: Brenton Edwards

“And it’s certainly something far more powerful than something simply symbolic – it is absolutely devastating the damage these machines do on Indigenous communities.”

A spokesperson from the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade said the government had taken measures to address “gambling-related harm”, which included a cap on gaming machines across the NT and extra funding for gambling research.

“The NT government promotes responsible gambling through the Community Benefit Fund (CBF),” the spokesperson said.

“The NT government offers grants through the CBF that support gambling harm amelioration services and research and community projects funded through a levy on poker machines in hotels and casinos.”

Mr Costello said the NT was a “backdoor” for betting companies.

“The NT is where most of the sport betting companies are registered, they’ve got a backdoor license in the NT and the Territory has a gambling addiction.”