HAVE you dropped some coins in the slot of a pokie machine lately?

If so, you are not alone!

This week, Liquor and Gaming NSW released its latest gaming machine data reports as part of the NSW Government’s ongoing commitment to transparency on gambling activity across the state.

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Some will see the figures as staggering.

Between 1 June, 2020 and 30 November, 2020 the total net profit from gaming machines in NSW Clubs is $2,171,070,059.

From this the government collects $436,741,144 in tax.

Other venues with gaming machines including hotels reported a net profit of $1,567,974,851 between 1 July 2020 and 31 December 2020.

We punted on the pokies at 66,489 machines in 1,042 clubs across the state and a further 22,519 machines in 1,284 hotels.

Of these, 28 clubs were in the Midcoast Council LGA.

They posted a net profit for the 1 June 2020 to 30 November 2020 period of $23,322,409.65 from poker machines contributing $3,086,504.63 in tax to the government.

Tea Gardens Country Club ranked at 375 in the state for profit with 49 machines.

Midcoast hotel venues saw a net profit from gaming machines of $11,359,864 contributing $3,274,857 in tax.

Across the Midcoast Council LGA in the reporting period there were 1349 poker machines in 48 venues.

While these figures are staggering there is some good news, particularly for community organisations.

A large amount of clubs profits from poker machines goes into the community with the NSW Government telling us, “The NSW Government offers grants to communities across NSW to support the building, renovation and fit-out of infrastructure.

“Funding is available for arts and cultural infrastructure, sport and recreation infrastructure and projects that assist communities with essential infrastructure and disaster readiness.

“Infrastructure Grants are made possible through the NSW Government’s Clubgrants Category 3 Fund, which reinvests a contribution from the state’s registered clubs gaming machine profits back into community projects.”

Clubs and local communities also manage the ClubGRANTS which is one of Australia’s largest grant programs, providing more than $100 million in cash each year to a variety of worthy causes across NSW.

Charities, sporting organisations and not-for-profit community groups are among tens-of-thousands of worthy causes funded through the program each year.

To be eligible to apply, you must be a not-for-profit organisation and provide the following project and/or services:
community welfare or social services, community development, community health services or employment assistance activities.

Organisations involved in community or professional sport are also eligible.

To find out if your organisation is eligible to apply for funding contact your local club.

While much of the profits from gaming machines in clubs do go back into the community, this is not true for hotel poker machine profits.

If gambling is impacting you or your family contact Lifeline on 131114.

By Marian SAMPSON