General News
15 August, 2026
Pokies losses almost $12 million
ALMOST a million dollars a month is being lost on poker machines across the region according to new figures from the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission. The commission’s latest report reveals that across four venues in Ararat Rural City and Northern Grampians Shire, a total of $11.9 million was lost in the 2025-26 financial year.
The months of July, August, October, November, December and January saw the biggest losses across the region with more than $1 million lost each month, while April saw the least amount lost at around $854,000.
There are 167 poker machines across Ararat Rural City and Northern Grampians Shire at Chalambar Golf Club, Stawell Harness Racing Club, Ararat RSL and St Arnaud Sporting Club.
The Commission couples the two municipalities together for reporting purposes due to the low number of poker machines in the region compared to many larger municipalities.
The losses reported by the Gambling and Casino Control Commission for 2025-26 represent losses across the two municipalities of $32,857 per day.
The latest figures also represent a significant increase in poker machine losses in the 2025-26 financial year compared to a year earlier.
In 2024-25, losses were $1 million less at $10.9 million.
An individual breakdown of the Ararat and Northern Grampians municipalities shows the largest losses were in Ararat.
The figures show there was $6.8 million lost through 88 machines in Ararat Rural City and a further $5.1 million through 79 machines in the Northern Grampians Shire.
Figures from the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission only count how much is spent on poker machines.
The total amount spent on gambling across Ararat Rural City and Northern Grampians Shire is unknown but online gambling, particularly sports betting, is also increasing.
Problem gambling advocate Reverend Tim Costello said Australia suffers the greatest losses and harm from gambling per adult in the world.
“Most Australians want reform, regular surveys show. So why is it so impossible?
“In short: because of the political muscle and massive wealth of the poker machine lobby, which is responsible for more than half of Australia’s gambling losses.
“The history of pokies dominating and defeating our politicians is worth detailing. It’s a bitter lesson in thwarting democracy.
“Morally, sociologically and politically, the way forward on pokies reform is blindingly clear, and our failure to take the necessary steps year after year is a blight on our national character,” Reverend Costello said.
“This issue is the equivalent of the United States’ failure to deal with their gun problem.”