Queensland gambling loss from gaming machines

Pokie Weather

Higher numbers are worse for gamblers and communities, and better for venue/operator revenue.

data.gov.au source
August 2026 Extreme community loss

Current loss reading

Extreme community loss

This is a very bad month for gamblers and communities: losses are at the top end of the series. It is a very strong revenue month for venues and machine operators.

Community loss / industry win $368,326,580
Lost per day $11,881,503/day
Lost per machine per day $291/day
Operational EGMs 40,809
Operational venues 1,019
Machines per venue 40.0
12-month total $4.1B

Historical trend

Monthly community loss

EGM means electronic gaming machine. The blue line shows operational EGMs, scaled separately so its shape can be compared with loss.

Community loss Operational EGMs
$390.2M43,376$251.6M40,636$112.9M37,897$368.3MEGMs: 40,809Jul 2004Apr 2007Jan 2010Oct 2012Jul 2015Apr 2018May 2021Feb 2024Aug 2026

Seasonal pattern

Average month

Jan $190.3M
Feb $177.0M
Mar $195.0M
Apr $190.5M
May $200.0M
Jun $196.2M
Jul $223.2M
Aug $224.8M
Sep $201.8M
Oct $206.7M
Nov $198.1M
Dec $205.8M

Warnings

Signals from the latest reading

  • August 2026 gambling losses are 1.3% lower than the same month one year earlier.
  • This month sits 83.2% above the long-run average for community gambling loss.
  • The latest 12-month loss total is 6.4% higher than the previous 12 months.
  • Each operational machine retained about $291 per day in August 2026; that is gambler loss and industry retained revenue.

Recent observations

Last 12 months

Month Community loss / industry win Operational EGMs Lost per machine/day Condition
August 2026 $368,326,580 40,809 $291 Extreme
July 2026 $375,225,337 40,783 $297 Extreme
June 2026 $326,605,821 40,724 $267 Heavy
May 2026 $345,387,223 40,678 $274 Extreme
April 2026 $319,568,167 40,695 $262 Heavy
March 2026 $326,836,808 40,684 $259 Heavy
February 2026 $302,065,651 40,747 $265 Heavy
January 2026 $334,415,846 40,684 $265 Heavy
December 2025 $353,925,770 40,796 $280 Extreme
November 2025 $339,990,649 40,801 $278 Heavy
October 2025 $355,792,517 40,913 $281 Extreme
September 2025 $335,953,152 40,557 $276 Heavy

Venue and LGA pressure

Loss by operational venue and local area

Venue figures are averages per operational site. The public LGA dataset does not identify individual venues, so this shows area-level pressure rather than named venues.

LGA source
Statewide loss per venue $361,459
Highest-loss LGA Brisbane $77,355,605 retained by machines
LGAs reporting loss 34

Highest total community loss

  1. Brisbane $77.4M 156 venues $495,869 per venue
  2. Gold Coast $49.9M 121 venues $412,384 per venue
  3. Moreton Bay $32.1M 58 venues $552,651 per venue
  4. Logan $27.5M 31 venues $887,347 per venue
  5. Sunshine Coast $22.1M 64 venues $345,634 per venue

Highest loss per venue

  1. Logan $887,347 $27.5M total 31 venues
  2. Mount Isa $577,741 $3.5M total 6 venues
  3. Moreton Bay $552,651 $32.1M total 58 venues
  4. Brisbane $495,869 $77.4M total 156 venues
  5. Ipswich $477,002 $15.3M total 32 venues
Operational venues Total community loss
156$77.4M78$38.7M0$0BrisbaneGold CoastSunshine CoastMoreton BayToowoombaTownsvilleCairnsIpswichLoganFraser CoastBundabergMackayRockhamptonRedlandGladstoneWestern DownsWhitsundayGympie