Nearly $9.3 billion lost to pokies in 2025: gambling harm catastrophe unfolding across NSW
Wesley Mission
Media release
20 March 2026
For immediate release
Nearly $9.3 billion lost to pokies in 2025: gambling harm catastrophe unfolding across NSW
New data released by NSW Liquor & Gaming confirms that nearly $9.3 billion* was lost on poker machines across New South Wales in 2025, the highest annual loss ever recorded in the state. This compares with losses of $8.6 billion in 2024, an 8% increase year-on-year.
The release of final quarter data shows that $2.45 billion was lost in just the last three months of the year, confirming that record‑level gambling losses are no longer an anomaly but an entrenched pattern across NSW.
Wesley Mission CEO Rev Stu Cameron says the staggering figure should send a shockwave through parliament, quickly followed by urgent and proportionate action.
“9.3 billion dollars lost in one year down the throats of these greedy machines beggars' belief. That is money stripped from family budgets and local communities. Behind that number are people skipping meals, missing rent and mortgage payments and families under intolerable strain, too often leading to awful outcomes, like domestic and family violence. Women and kids are paying the highest price for our state’s continued pokies addiction.”
Same communities, same harm
The data shows that gambling losses continue to be heavily concentrated in Sydney’s west and south‑west, while regional NSW has again recorded some of its highest‑ever losses, particularly in communities already facing financial stress, housing pressure and disadvantage.
The release of Q4 data confirms that the same communities have borne the brunt of gambling harm throughout 2025.
Top metro LGAs for Q4 2025 losses (clubs and hotels combined):
- Canterbury‑Bankstown – $203.9 million
- Fairfield – $187.4 million
- Cumberland – $137.9 million
- Sydney – $112.7 million
- Blacktown – $110.3 million.
Some of these communities have far fewer poker machines than others and still record among the highest losses per day, highlighting the extraordinary intensity of gambling harm in these areas.
Across NSW, there are currently 87,839 poker machines operating in clubs and hotels.
Q4 2025 confirms the scale of the crisis
Q4 2025 losses:
- Average Daily losses: approximately $26.7 million
- Average Hourly losses: approximately $1.11 million
Rev Cameron said these figures show that record gambling losses are now being locked in year after year, increasing at a rate far outstripping inflation:
“Quarter after quarter, the evidence is unmistakable. Incremental reform is not enough. It's time for courageous, bold reforms from our political leaders. It’s been 478 days since the Minns government received the report and recommendations of its own Independent Panel on Gambling Reform. It’s been silence since. When will we hear their response? When will they act? When is the level of harm enough for resistance to real reform to crumble?”.
Leadership is needed now
Wesley Mission is calling on the NSW Government to implement stronger, evidence‑based reforms to reduce gambling harm and protect vulnerable communities, Reverend Cameron said:
“We know that reducing poker machine operating hours reduces harm. Powering machines down from midnight to 10am is a simple reform with an immediate impact — it protects families and saves lives.
The introduction of a universal, mandatory cashless gambling card – with robust harm prevention measures bult in – will protect the community. The longer we wait, the more preventable harm will wreak havoc across our state.
If losses of this scale are allowed to continue, record harm becomes the status quo. These figures demand leadership — now.”
*Exact figure: $9,296,067,0444. Sourced from NSW Government Quarterly Gaming Reports.
ENDS
Media contact: Joel MacKay | 0455 175 819 or [email protected]
Contact details:
Joel MacKay | 0455 175 819 or [email protected]