As punters along the Mid North Coast were putting a chunk of their pay, social security or superannuation through the thousands of EGMs (electronic gaming machines, or pokies) located in our pubs and clubs, the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) was quietly donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to political parties.

Clubs and hotels on the Mid North Coast raked in $84.5 million in net poker machine profits in just three months in the second half of 2024, according to government data.

While community members experienced monumental losses, gambling, betting and hotel organisations tipped over $1 million into major political parties last year.

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) recently published its annual report of donations to political parties. 

Records reveal gambling companies and venues that benefit from gaming spent up big with the major parties. The Australian Hotels Association donated $483,189, Tabcorp $193,000, Sportsbet $163,000 and The Lottery Corporation $115,000. Clubs also kicked the tin.

Where exactly did we lose our money?

Let’s look at some figures across our LGAs (Local Government Area) from the NSW Government’s Gaming Machine Quarterly Report to give us an idea of net profits (after tax is paid).

The reported amounts from clubs in the region are from June 1 to August 31, 2024, and for hotels is from July 1 to September 30, 2024.

Here are our local LGAs, in order of largest net profit to smallest:

Mid-Coast gambling losses

Clubs raked up a net profit of $13.9 million from 1,090 machines, and;

Hotels took a net profit of $7.9 million from 273 machines.

Total net profit: $21.8 million.

Port Macquarie-Hastings gambling losses

Clubs reported a net profit of $14.1 million from 977 machines, and;

Hotels had a net profit of $5.4 million from 188 machines.

Total net profit: $19.5 million

Coffs Harbour gambling losses

Clubs made a net profit of $9.7 million from 548 machines, and;

Hotels took a net profit of $8.8 million from 234 machines.

Total net profit: $18.5 million. 

Kempsey gambling losses

Clubs net profit was $4.5 million from 336 machines, and;

Hotels hoovered up $2.6 million in net profit from 106 machines.

Total net profit: $7.1 million.

Bellingen gambling losses

Clubs helped themselves to $1.1 million in net profit from 124 machines, and;

Hotels were lumped in with Armidale for security reasons, but there was a net profit of $2.9 million from 155 machines.

Total net profit: $4 million.

Nambucca gambling losses

Clubs made $2.4 million in net profit from 237 machines, and;

Hotels reported a net profit of $1.1 million from 55 machines, meaning on average each machine made a net profit of $200,000 in three months.

Total net profit: $3.5 million.

That’s a whopping $55.8 million in net pokie profit from clubs on the Mid North Coast, and $28.7 million in hotels (keeping in mind a bit of that is lost in Armidale).

What’s the government doing about it?

Pokies aren’t the only problem, with sports betting and online lotteries and gaming among the other gambling offerings separating Australians from their money. 

The federal Albanese government talked a big game on reducing gambling advertising, but after nearly a full term of government it has little to show, and has since gone cold on the idea. A 2023 inquiry recommended online gambling ads be banned within a three-year period.

NSW Premier Chris Minns has said he would cut EGM numbers across the state, but this is yet to occur. The Guardian reported late last year that the number of machines in NSW had actually increased under Minns, from 87,094 in March 2024 to 87,644 in October 2024.