Pokies losses › Victoria › Ballarat
Pokies losses in Ballarat
City of Ballarat, Victoria. Every dollar on this page went into a poker machine and never came back. Here's how much, and what that money could have done instead.
Lost in a year
$66.4 million
That's $181,852 a day, or $696 for every adult in Ballarat.
- Machines
- 652
- Venues
- 14
- Lost per machine
- $101,804 a year
- Adults per machine
- 146
Against the rest of Victoria
Ballarat loses 1.2 times as much per adult as the VIC average. Out of the 79 Victoria areas with figures of their own, it's the 16th highest.
Losses per adult a year.
If it was saved instead
Take the $696 lost per adult in a year. Put it into savings a bit each week instead, and it grows to:
- After 5 years
- $3,853
- After 10 years
- $8,560
- After 20 years
- $21,327
That's at an example 4% interest. Check what your own spending could grow to.
How does a machine take this much? Have a go on the see-through pokie. It's a pretend machine that tells you what each spin really was, including the "wins" that pay back less than you bet. Or read how poker machines keep you playing.
Councils ranked close to Ballarat
- Hume $730 per adult
- Wellington $725 per adult
- Ararat $682 per adult
- Maroondah $681 per adult
More about living in Ballarat
See the rent people pay in Ballarat and the crime police record there, next to these pokies losses. Living in Ballarat
About these figures
Net losses are what venues kept after paying out wins, over one year (all venues 2024–25). Machine and venue numbers are counts at the end of that year.
Source: State of Victoria through the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Do you play the pokies yourself? The spend check adds up what a normal week costs you, and the spending diary keeps a private tally.
If gambling is causing problems for you or someone you know, free and confidential help is there 24/7 from Gambling Help Online or on 1800 858 858. Here's how to spot the signs.