Pokies losses in your area
This is what people lose on poker machines in each council area, every year. Every dollar on this page went into a machine and never came back. Look up your own council below. You can also see what Australia loses on every kind of gambling. Want to know how a machine keeps the money? Have a go on the see-through pokie, or read how poker machines keep you playing.
New South Wales
$9.06 billion
lost on pokies in a year. That's $24.8 million a day, or $1,124 for every resident.
- Machines
- 87,855
- Venues
- 2,165
- Lost per machine
- $103,114 a year
Victoria
$3.15 billion
lost on pokies in a year. That's $8.6 million a day, or $565 for every adult.
- Machines
- 26,258
- Venues
- 483
- Lost per machine
- $119,776 a year
Queensland
$3.98 billion
lost on pokies in a year. That's $10.9 million a day, or $898 for every adult.
- Machines
- 40,725
- Venues
- 1,021
- Lost per machine
- $97,616 a year
The real total is a bit higher. In 21 small areas, some months were kept private, so those months aren't counted.
Look up your council
Where people lose the most
These councils lose the most for every person who lives there.
New South Wales per resident
| Area | Lost a year | Per resident |
|---|---|---|
| Fairfield | $700.8M | $3,362 |
| Cumberland | $527.4M | $2,240 |
| Canterbury-Bankstown | $766.0M | $2,065 |
| Georges River | $299.5M | $1,967 |
| Sydney | $406.5M | $1,921 |
| Campbelltown | $235.5M | $1,334 |
| Queanbeyan-Palerang | $76.3M | $1,206 |
| Tweed | $116.0M | $1,191 |
| Newcastle | $199.5M | $1,181 |
| Ryde | $150.9M | $1,169 |
Victoria per adult
| Area | Lost a year | Per adult |
|---|---|---|
| Brimbank | $175.9M | $1,091 |
| Greater Dandenong | $141.2M | $1,072 |
| Mildura | $40.7M | $889 |
| Maribyrnong | $68.4M | $844 |
| Warrnambool | $24.2M | $839 |
| Horsham | $13.2M | $822 |
| Moonee Valley | $86.6M | $819 |
| Greater Shepparton | $44.3M | $803 |
| Latrobe | $50.1M | $793 |
| Central Goldfields | $9.0M | $792 |
Queensland per adult
| Area | Lost a year | Per adult |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Isa | $35.7M | $2,637 |
| Central Highlands | $30.3M | $1,397 |
| Rockhampton | $89.6M | $1,377 |
| Mackay | $134.9M | $1,361 |
| Whitsunday | $40.9M | $1,231 |
| Cairns | $171.9M | $1,227 |
| Isaac | $20.7M | $1,168 |
| Cassowary Coast | $27.8M | $1,139 |
| Goondiwindi | $8.8M | $1,123 |
| Bundaberg | $94.6M | $1,095 |
Take Fairfield's $3,362 per resident. Put that into savings a bit each week instead, and after 10 years it grows to $41,314 (at an example 4% interest). See what your own spending could grow to.
Every council area
New South Wales: 129 areas
| Area | Hotels | Clubs | Total | Per resident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albury | $23.1M | $75.8M* | – | – |
| Armidale | $11.2M* | $17.8M* | – | – |
| Ballina | $13.3M | $27.0M | $40.3M | $871 |
| Balranald | $0k | $19.3M* | – | – |
| Bathurst | $14.1M | $19.0M* | – | – |
| Bayside | $114.2M | $76.7M | $190.8M | $1,089 |
| Bega Valley | $7.1M | $24.0M | $31.1M | $864 |
| Bellingen | $11.2M* | $4.8M | – | – |
| Berrigan | $2.2M* | $21.3M | – | – |
| Blacktown | $196.3M | $203.9M | $400.2M | $1,009 |
| Bland | $8.0M* | $2.7M | – | – |
| Blayney | $1.3M* | $19.0M* | – | – |
| Blue Mountains | $17.1M* | $14.4M* | – | – |
| Bogan | $3.5M* | $5.7M* | – | – |
| Bourke | $0k | $5.7M* | – | – |
| Brewarrina | $0k | $5.7M* | – | – |
| Broken Hill | $9.1M* | $33.7M* | – | – |
| Burwood | $75.1M | $87.2M* | – | – |
| Byron | $9.6M | $9.9M | $19.4M | $538 |
| Cabonne | $1.3M* | $3.4M | – | – |
| Camden | $53.5M | $67.1M | $120.6M | $1,011 |
| Campbelltown | $87.5M | $148.0M | $235.5M | $1,334 |
| Canada Bay | $43.6M* | $39.7M* | – | – |
| Canterbury-Bankstown | $331.0M | $435.0M | $766.0M | $2,065 |
| Carrathool | $8.0M* | $19.3M* | – | – |
| Central Coast | $95.6M | $251.4M | $347.1M | $1,001 |
| Central Darling | $3.5M* | $19.3M* | – | – |
| Cessnock | $19.9M | $32.6M | $52.4M | $824 |
| Clarence Valley | $16.5M* | $27.7M | – | – |
| Cobar | $3.5M* | $7.2M* | – | – |
| Coffs Harbour | $33.7M | $40.5M | $74.2M | $943 |
| Coolamon | $0k | $2.8M* | – | – |
| Coonamble | $0k | $5.8M* | – | – |
| Cootamundra-Gundagai | $7.3M* | $8.1M* | – | – |
| Cowra | $2.0M* | $8.8M | – | – |
| Cumberland | $235.6M | $291.7M | $527.4M | $2,240 |
| Dubbo Regional | $27.5M | $32.5M | $59.9M | $1,091 |
| Dungog | $38.1M* | $14.7M* | – | – |
| Edward River | $2.2M* | $7.1M* | – | – |
| Eurobodalla | $3.4M | $41.9M | $45.3M | $1,116 |
| Fairfield | $218.2M | $482.6M | $700.8M | $3,362 |
| Federation | $2.2M* | $45.1M | – | – |
| Forbes | $8.0M* | $4.9M* | – | – |
| Georges River | $129.7M | $169.7M | $299.5M | $1,967 |
| Gilgandra | $3.1M* | $5.8M* | – | – |
| Glen Innes Severn | $5.0M* | $17.8M* | – | – |
| Goulburn Mulwaree | $11.1M* | $23.7M* | – | – |
| Greater Hume | $5.1M* | $75.8M* | – | – |
| Griffith | $18.9M* | $25.0M | – | – |
| Gunnedah | $4.9M* | $11.8M* | – | – |
| Gwydir | $8.0M* | $3.2M* | – | – |
| Hawkesbury | $35.0M | $35.5M | $70.5M | $1,049 |
| Hay | $10.0M* | $7.1M* | – | – |
| Hilltops | $7.3M* | $12.7M* | – | – |
| Hornsby | $30.8M* | $49.9M | – | – |
| Hunters Hill | $43.6M* | $39.7M* | – | – |
| Inner West | $106.1M | $68.4M | $174.5M | $954 |
| Inverell | $5.0M* | $8.2M | – | – |
| Junee | $41.4M* | $2.8M* | – | – |
| Kempsey | $9.9M | $19.0M | $29.0M | $944 |
| Kiama | $27.9M* | $9.8M | – | – |
| Ku-ring-gai | $30.8M* | $45.9M* | – | – |
| Kyogle | $16.5M* | $2.3M* | – | – |
| Lachlan | $3.5M* | $7.2M* | – | – |
| Lake Macquarie | $66.0M | $102.1M | $168.1M | $786 |
| Lane Cove | $43.6M* | $39.7M* | – | – |
| Leeton | $18.9M* | $9.4M* | – | – |
| Lismore | $10.4M | $13.7M | $24.1M | $543 |
| Lithgow | $17.1M* | $13.4M | – | – |
| Liverpool | $106.5M | $107.6M | $214.1M | $917 |
| Liverpool Plains | $4.9M* | $11.8M* | – | – |
| Lockhart | $0k | $4.8M* | – | – |
| Maitland | $38.1M* | $33.3M | – | – |
| Mid-Coast | $30.8M | $60.4M | $91.2M | $944 |
| Mid-Western Regional | $11.7M | $10.4M | $22.0M | $857 |
| Moree Plains | $8.0M* | $18.8M* | – | – |
| Mosman | $43.1M* | $24.6M* | – | – |
| Murray River | $10.0M* | $73.0M | – | – |
| Murrumbidgee | $8.0M* | $9.4M* | – | – |
| Muswellbrook | $2.6M | $13.8M | $16.4M | $1,002 |
| Nambucca | $4.2M | $11.1M | $15.3M | $749 |
| Narrabri | $5.0M* | $6.9M | – | – |
| Narrandera | $8.0M* | $4.8M* | – | – |
| Narromine | $3.1M* | $5.3M* | – | – |
| Newcastle | $86.1M | $113.3M | $199.5M | $1,181 |
| North Sydney | $43.1M* | $24.6M* | – | – |
| Northern Beaches | $44.7M | $108.6M | $153.3M | $581 |
| Oberon | $17.1M* | $14.4M* | – | – |
| Orange | $19.6M | $23.1M | $42.7M | $981 |
| Parkes | $4.6M | $8.4M | $13.0M | $907 |
| Parramatta | $176.9M | $119.4M | $296.2M | $1,154 |
| Penrith | $101.6M | $148.9M | $250.5M | $1,151 |
| Port Macquarie-Hastings | $22.1M | $59.8M | $81.9M | $944 |
| Port Stephens | $33.4M | $39.0M | $72.3M | $961 |
| Queanbeyan-Palerang | $23.9M | $52.4M | $76.3M | $1,206 |
| Randwick | $55.4M | $61.7M | $117.0M | $872 |
| Richmond Valley | $6.8M | $14.9M | $21.7M | $920 |
| Ryde | $85.5M | $65.4M | $150.9M | $1,169 |
| Shellharbour | $27.9M* | $51.6M | – | – |
| Shoalhaven | $18.6M | $80.8M | $99.3M | $915 |
| Singleton | $7.2M | $14.7M* | – | – |
| Snowy Monaro | $4.0M | $9.2M | $13.2M | $611 |
| Snowy Valleys | $5.1M* | $27.9M* | – | – |
| Strathfield | $62.2M | $87.2M* | – | – |
| Sutherland | $51.4M | $91.9M | $143.3M | $623 |
| Sydney | $380.9M | $25.6M | $406.5M | $1,921 |
| Tamworth Regional | $22.3M* | $31.3M | – | – |
| Temora | $0k | $8.1M* | – | – |
| Tenterfield | $5.0M* | $2.3M* | – | – |
| The Hills | $61.1M | $67.1M | $128.2M | $668 |
| Tweed | $21.3M | $94.6M | $116.0M | $1,191 |
| Unincorporated - Far West Area | $9.1M* | $0k | – | – |
| Upper Hunter | $2.1M | $8.3M | $10.4M | $730 |
| Upper Lachlan | $2.0M* | $23.7M* | – | – |
| Uralla | $22.3M* | $3.2M* | – | – |
| Wagga Wagga | $41.4M* | $27.9M* | – | – |
| Walcha | $22.3M* | $3.2M* | – | – |
| Walgett | $5.0M* | $18.8M* | – | – |
| Warren | $0k | $5.3M* | – | – |
| Warrumbungle | $3.1M* | $2.1M | – | – |
| Waverley | $27.0M | $23.8M | $50.7M | $740 |
| Weddin | $2.0M* | $4.9M* | – | – |
| Wentworth | $9.1M* | $33.7M* | – | – |
| Willoughby | $46.2M | $45.9M* | – | – |
| Wingecarribee | $12.3M | $15.9M | $28.2M | $534 |
| Wollondilly | $19.4M | $7.9M | $27.2M | $504 |
| Wollongong | $67.9M | $137.0M | $204.9M | $955 |
| Woollahra | $23.9M | $24.6M* | – | – |
| Yass Valley | $11.1M* | $12.7M* | – | – |
* This figure covers the area and its neighbours together. The regulator reports areas with fewer than five venues as a group. We only show a total and a per-person figure when neither number is grouped like this.
Victoria: 79 areas
| Area | Total | Per adult |
|---|---|---|
| Alpine | $3.1M | $279 |
| Ararat | $6.7M | $682 |
| Ballarat | $66.4M | $696 |
| Banyule | $59.1M | $566 |
| Bass Coast | $20.8M | $577 |
| Baw Baw | $21.7M | $442 |
| Bayside | $12.5M | $149 |
| Benalla | $6.6M | $539 |
| Boroondara | $19.3M | $135 |
| Brimbank | $175.9M | $1,091 |
| Buloke | $0k | $0 |
| Campaspe | $12.0M | $383 |
| Cardinia | $39.5M | $398 |
| Casey | $166.6M | $544 |
| Central Goldfields | $9.0M | $792 |
| Colac-Otway | $8.0M | $437 |
| Corangamite | $4.2M | $324 |
| Darebin | $83.4M | $624 |
| East Gippsland | $31.7M | $761 |
| Frankston | $68.2M | $601 |
| Gannawarra | $2.4M | $278 |
| Glen Eira | $74.7M | $593 |
| Glenelg | $9.3M | $561 |
| Golden Plains | $0k | $0 |
| Greater Bendigo | $61.2M | $613 |
| Greater Dandenong | $141.2M | $1,072 |
| Greater Geelong | $140.5M | $601 |
| Greater Shepparton | $44.3M | $803 |
| Hepburn | $3.4M | $239 |
| Hindmarsh | $0k | $0 |
| Hobsons Bay | $50.2M | $669 |
| Horsham | $13.2M | $822 |
| Hume | $147.9M | $730 |
| Indigo | $0k | $0 |
| Kingston | $89.4M | $675 |
| Knox | $79.2M | $606 |
| Latrobe | $50.1M | $793 |
| Loddon | $0k | $0 |
| Macedon Ranges | $9.7M | $234 |
| Manningham | $59.1M | $564 |
| Mansfield | $1.9M | $222 |
| Maribyrnong | $68.4M | $844 |
| Maroondah | $64.2M | $681 |
| Melbourne | $98.8M | $581 |
| Melton | $95.7M | $572 |
| Merri-bek | $64.6M | $418 |
| Mildura | $40.7M | $889 |
| Mitchell | $23.9M | $510 |
| Moira | $6.4M | $253 |
| Monash | $126.0M | $759 |
| Moonee Valley | $86.6M | $819 |
| Moorabool | $11.3M | $354 |
| Mornington Peninsula | $88.2M | $627 |
| Mount Alexander | $3.1M | $180 |
| Moyne | $0k | $0 |
| Murrindindi | $1.7M | $132 |
| Nillumbik | $10.0M | $202 |
| Northern Grampians | $4.2M | $427 |
| Port Phillip | $30.5M | $303 |
| Pyrenees | $0k | $0 |
| Queenscliffe | $1.1M | $385 |
| South Gippsland | $7.5M | $298 |
| Southern Grampians | $7.1M | $543 |
| Stonnington | $19.3M | $195 |
| Strathbogie | $2.7M | $267 |
| Surf Coast | $5.2M | $161 |
| Swan Hill | $10.0M | $605 |
| Towong | $451k | $89 |
| Wangaratta | $10.9M | $449 |
| Warrnambool | $24.2M | $839 |
| Wellington | $27.3M | $725 |
| West Wimmera | $0k | $0 |
| Whitehorse | $62.9M | $430 |
| Whittlesea | $144.3M | $744 |
| Wodonga | $11.1M | $317 |
| Wyndham | $132.4M | $537 |
| Yarra | $31.6M | $348 |
| Yarra Ranges | $30.2M | $238 |
| Yarriambiack | $0k | $0 |
Queensland: 55 areas
| Area | Total | Per adult |
|---|---|---|
| Balonne | –† | – |
| Banana | $10.8M | $938 |
| Barcaldine | –† | – |
| Blackall Tambo | –† | – |
| Brisbane | $869.8M | $786 |
| Bundaberg | $94.6M | $1,095 |
| Burdekin | –† | – |
| Cairns | $171.9M | $1,227 |
| Carpentaria | –† | – |
| Cassowary Coast | $27.8M | $1,139 |
| Central Highlands | $30.3M | $1,397 |
| Charters Towers | $8.7M | $939 |
| Cloncurry | –† | – |
| Cook | –† | – |
| Douglas | $11.8M | $1,080 |
| Flinders | –† | – |
| Fraser Coast | $107.7M | $1,066 |
| Gladstone | $51.4M | $990 |
| Gold Coast | $564.5M | $1,021 |
| Goondiwindi | $8.8M | $1,123 |
| Gympie | $34.1M | $730 |
| Hinchinbrook | $6.8M | $737 |
| Ipswich | $175.6M | $892 |
| Isaac | $20.7M | $1,168 |
| Livingstone | $28.9M | $845 |
| Lockyer Valley | $23.7M | $662 |
| Logan | $298.0M | $1,000 |
| Longreach | –† | – |
| Mackay | $134.9M | $1,361 |
| Maranoa | $9.8M | $973 |
| Mareeba | –† | – |
| McKinlay | –† | – |
| Moreton Bay | $362.8M | $880 |
| Mount Isa | $35.7M | $2,637 |
| Murweh | –† | – |
| Noosa | $35.8M | $733 |
| North Burnett | –† | – |
| Paroo | –† | – |
| Quilpie | –† | – |
| Redland | $106.4M | $779 |
| Richmond | –† | – |
| Rockhampton | $89.6M | $1,377 |
| Scenic Rim | $16.0M | $430 |
| Somerset | –† | – |
| South Burnett | $23.3M | $826 |
| Southern Downs | $22.9M | $752 |
| Sunshine Coast | $244.7M | $808 |
| Tablelands | –† | – |
| Toowoomba | $118.5M | $827 |
| Torres | –† | – |
| Townsville | $162.4M | $1,015 |
| Weipa | –† | – |
| Western Downs | $26.0M | $974 |
| Whitsunday | $40.9M | $1,231 |
| Winton | –† | – |
† Some months are missing here. When an area has fewer than six venues with machines, the regulator keeps that month's losses private. So we can't give a whole year for it.
About these figures
- New South Wales: net losses, meaning what venues kept after paying out wins, for clubs Sep 2024 – Aug 2025, hotels Jul 2024 – Jun 2025. Per-person figures divide by everyone living in each area at the 2021 Census, all ages.
- Victoria: net losses, meaning what venues kept after paying out wins, for all venues Jul 2024 – Jun 2025. Per-person figures divide by each area's adult population.
- Queensland: net losses, meaning what venues kept after paying out wins, for clubs and hotels Jul 2025 – Jun 2026, not counting the casinos. Per-person figures divide by each area's adults (18 and over), from the ABS's population estimates. When an area has fewer than six venues with machines, Queensland keeps that month's losses private. An area missing any month gets no yearly total or per-adult figure, and those months aren't in the state total.
- Machine and venue numbers are counts at the end of each period. Victorian numbers are worked out from the published rates per adult.
Source: © State of New South Wales (Liquor & Gaming NSW), CC BY 4.0; State of Victoria through the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission, CC BY 4.0; Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation, Gaming Machine Data by Local Government Areas, © State of Queensland, CC BY 3.0 AU; Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population by age and sex, CC BY 4.0.
Do you play the pokies?
It's easy to lose track of what goes into a machine. The spend check adds up a normal week in about a minute, and shows what that money could grow to instead. For the real number, keep a private spending diary.
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