For the last financial year, it has been reported that the pokies in New South Wales have been able to generate a record A$73 billion in earnings, equal to $52.6 billion in US dollars. This was an increase of A$4 billion despite the fact that the government has removed the number of machines offered to the public in an effort to reduce harm in relation to gambling.
The new figures were analyzed by the Fairfax Media and published by the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority to reveal that the slot machine turnover for NSW was A$73.3 billion for 2014-2015, an increase from the previous year’s totals of A$68.9 billion. A 6% increase was seen even though the number of gaming machines in operation in the clubs and pubs of New South Wales fell to 93,364, with a loss of 244 gaming machines.
In Fairfield, the area of local government with the highest rate of turnover, gamblers of the pokie machines played with A$7.6 billion on 3300 gaming machines for the year. Fairfield actually saw an increase in gaming by A$629 million. The area was missing over 400 gaming machines since late June. With 2917 machines still located in Fairfield with the registered clubs, and 477 machines in the pubs, an average of A$2.2 million was spent on each machine based on figures for the financial year of 2014-2015.