Government data for the last six months of 2022 reveals that poker machine (pokies) profits in the region are up and have increased markedly on three-year levels. 

While the number of poker machines and venues across the region remained, the same, pokie profits grew by more than $3 million. 

The data from Liquor and Gaming NSW and analysed by the Western Plains App shows that the 85 poker machines across Bourke, Brewarrina, and Bogan increased their profits by $300,000 compared with the first six months of last year and is $1,000,000 higher than in 2019. 

Gilgandra/Coonamble area's clubs increased pokie profits by $700,000, and in the Walgett/Moree Plains district, there was a rise of more than $1.5 million. In Walgett/Moree Plains, the June-November 2019 profits levels were $6,807,057, and in the same 2022 period, the same pokies at the same clubs raked in $9,183,884. 

Statewide the latest official half-yearly data shows gamers are losing more than $23 million every day, and statewide losses in pubs and clubs totaled $4.26 billion in late 2022, generating $1.18 billion in tax. 

The data, covering June to November in clubs and July to December in pubs, is the equivalent of about $1000 for every man, woman, and child in NSW, according to Wesley Mission. 

Image: Pixabay. 

"$8.1 billion is $1000 lost for every person in our state in 2022. This is money that should have been helping families weather the cost-of-living crisis but instead has gone to propping up a harmful and predatory industry", said Wesley Mission CEO and Superintendent Rev Stu Cameron in a statement. 

"The pain of broken individuals and families and the harm caused to communities behind these numbers is immense. Losses of this scale underpin the urgency for sensible, proportionate, and effective reform" he said. 

"It is vital now more than ever for the new NSW Government and the opposition to come together in a genuine bi-partisan approach to enact reforms in this term of Parliament." 

The former NSW Coalition government pledged to remove cash from the state's 86,872 poker machines by December 31, 2028.

The newly elected Labor committed to a trial of a cashless gaming card in 500 machines as well as reducing feed-in cash limits in new devices from $5000 to $500. 

In January 2023, a new Gaming Code of Practice was released by ClubsNSW to protect problem gamblers and keep criminals out of clubs.

Under the Code, which takes effect from 1 July this year, club staff will undergo advanced training to help them identify key problem gambling indicators. In the event that a player shows any level of distress or hardship, they will need to take a break from gambling for at least 24 hours.

Patrons showing serious signs of a gambling problem such as seeking credit for gambling, borrowing money from other patrons, or admitting to stealing money to gamble will be offered counselling and automatically barred from club gaming rooms across the state.

Every club will have a designated Responsible Gambling Officer.

With the latest profit rise from pokies, the stakes are getting higher for local communities.

The Code will also enable family members to request an exclusion for loved ones who they believe are experiencing gambling harm, with an expert gambling counsellor to determine whether a ban is appropriate.