Nearly $5 billion was gambled on poker machines in St George and Sutherland Shire in a year, a state government report reveals.
The staggering turnover figures were researched as anti-gambling crusader Reverend Tim Costello visited Brighton-Le-Sands on the weekend for the 38th national conference of Gamblers Anonymous Australia.
Mr Costello, chair of the Alliance for Gambling Reform and former chief executive of World Vision, was guest speaker at a luncheon leading into the national conference at Novotel Sydney Brighton Beach.
The 2014-15 annual report of the NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority detailed poker machine numbers and turnover for each local government area.
A spokesman for the authority said: “Turnover refers to the total value in dollars of bets made on gaming machines, including bets that are made using credits won during the course of play.
“In NSW, gaming machines are required to return at least 85 per cent (or maximum 15 per cent loss) over the playing out of their full course of combinations, with the average return of all gaming machines over this period being about 90 per cent.
”However, the return during a single playing session varies – a player may win more than they put into a machine or they may lose more than 15 per cent.”
The annual report revealed, in the former Hurstville Council area, 765 poker machines in clubs and 202 in hotels produced combined turnover of $1,408 million.
The former Kogarah Council area had 696 poker machines in clubs, 212 in hotels and a combined turnover of $1,036 million.
In Rockdale Council area, 1050 club poker machines and 226 in hotels produced turnover of $1,174 million.
Sutherland Shire had 1651 poker machines in clubs, 306 in hotels, with turnover totalling more than $1,307 million.
Four clubs received an increase in poker machine entitlements, transferred from other clubs, during the year.
They included Kingsgrove RSL Club, Earlwood-Bardwell Park RSL, Ramsgate RSL Club and Olds Park Sports Club (previously Peakhurst Bowling & Recreation Club).
The increases were conditional on the clubs making donations to community organisations and facilities.
Another condition for Ramsgate RSL Memorial Club was that it have specifically trained staff members , or “hosts”, to look after gaming players' welfare and raise awareness of harm minimisation assistance available.
Gamblers Anonymous holds weekly meetings at Sutherland, Hurstville, Miranda and Rockdale.
A spokesman said there had been a “a surge” in people seeking help over online gambling, and “a steady increase in females attending”.
