'A figure to be ashamed of' - states net $5.9 billion in gambling taxes
States and territories will pocket an estimated $6 billion windfall from gaming taxes, to the dismay of anti-gambling advocates and social workers.
According to their budgets, jurisdictions across Australia expect to reap almost $5.9 billion in the 2014-15 financial year from gambling taxes, including electronic gaming machines.
Victoria and NSW are likely to take the lion's share of the revenue, with both states forecast to receive about $2 billion in gambling taxes.
On a per capita basis Victoria tops the country, taking in $311 per person in gambling and gaming taxes. In comparison, the ACT and Western Australia were the lowest, partly due to the latter's prohibition on electronic gaming machines in pubs and clubs.
Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce chairman Tim Costello said every dollar of the estimated $6 billion was a dollar taken out of someone's pocket.
"It paints a picture of real individual suffering," he said.
"Almost certainly it's led to domestic violence ... to kids hungry, a mortgage not paid."
Mr Costello said as much as 60 per cent of the jurisdictions' gambling revenue was coming from people with a gambling addiction, according to the Productivity Commission.
"People who - before their pokies addiction - had homes, businesses, many didn't drink or smoke even, have found their lives utterly addicted and ruined," he said.
"It's not a figure to celebrate, it's a figure to be ashamed of."
Mr Costello said the revenue projections were a further example of why governments needed to introduce $1 bets on poker machines Australia-wide.
Salvation Army drug, alcohol and gambling treatment clinical director Gerard Byrne said gambling addiction had a number of serious consequences in addition to financial loss and the impact on the addicts' quality of life.
"Things like children not being able to go on school excursions or having hand-me-down clothes all the time," he said.
"There's also the emotional things like depression and anxiety, which are extremely prevalent among gamblers and their families."
A spokesman for Victorian Gaming and Liquor Regulation minister Jane Garrett said the state's large gambling tax intake was due to its large population size, strong horse racing industry and high gaming taxes.
"The revenue collected from gaming is used to fund school, hospitals and public works," he said.
"Victoria will be the first state in the nation to introduce a voluntary pre-commitment scheme which will track players' spending of time and money regardless of the venue.
"The technology will be rolled out by the end of the year."
But Mr Costello said the fact the revenue would be spent on public services was nothing to celebrate. "We don't encourage more smokers because the revenue helps build schools and hospitals," he said.
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