The Mid North Coast has four hotels ranked inside the top 500 in NSW for poker machine profits, according to figures released by Liquor and Gaming NSW.
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The figures were released on Tuesday, August 22.
The top 25 hotels for pokies profits took $486,538 per week from communities in the 2016/17 financial year alone according to the Greens NSW MLC Justin Field.
Topping the list was the El Cortez Hotel in Canley Heights, with the Railway Hotel at Lidcombe coming in at second place.
On the Mid North Coast, the Port Macquarie Hotel was ranked 306th with the Sea Breeze Hotel at South West Rocks 392nd.
The Settlers Inn at Port Macquarie was third on the local list at 473rd while Lakeside Tavern at Forster rounded out the top four at 478th.
A spokesperson for the Port Macquarie Hotel said the hotel offers gaming options in strict accordance with the relevant legislation.
“The management and staff … support the provision of responsible gaming so that all customers can enjoy themselves,” the spokesperson said.
“The Macca is an active member of the AHA NSW GameCare system, which provides an updated list of self excluded patrons so (we) can help support gamblers with a recognised problem to avoid gambling.
“Of course, customer privacy and confidentiality is respected at all times.”
The management and staff … support the provision of responsible gaming so that all customers can enjoy themselves.
- Spokesperson for Port Macquarie Hotel
The venue makes available, and the staff are trained to offer customers, information to assist them in their decision to gamble including information guides, signage and help services and 24 hour counselling services.
This includes making available self exclusion services which empowers the customer to voluntarily exclude themselves from the gaming products available at The Macca. the spokesperson said.
The Port Macquarie Hotel has 27 machines.
Mr Field described poker machines as the new tobacco.
“They are both highly addictive products with powerful lobby groups pushing in their favour and covering up their true impacts,” he said.
“The changes in social acceptance of smoking and in favour of regulation of tobacco over recent years offers a way forward to reduce the harm from poker machines as well.”
Gamblers Anonymous, while not commenting directly on the figures, said the first positive step for anyone addicted to gambling is to attend their first meeting.
“In order to lead normal, happy lives we try to practice to the best of our ability certain principles in our daily affairs,” a Gamblers Anonymous spokesperson said.
“The lasting benefits come by attending regular meetings.”
On its website, Gamblers Anonymous’ says the definition of gambling is: Any betting or wagering, for self or others, whether for money or not, no matter how slight or insignificant, where the outcome is uncertain or depends upon chance or skill constitutes gambling.