Albury pokies players lose $73m in a year, Wodonga punters lose $9m

Figures compiled by Monash University found the average loss per adult in Albury was $1453, while Wodonga gamblers lost $281 each.

Researchers said the difference between the cities was explained by Victoria having more limited access to gaming machines than NSW during COVID lockdowns.

Monash University gambling and social determinants unit's Professor Charles Livingstone said stress caused by COVID, inflation and low wage growth were factors in the massive numbers.

"Gambling is also much more normalised in NSW, it seems like they've been there forever," Professor Livingstone said.

"In Victoria the machines were shut for a longer period than in NSW."

He said with pubs and clubs closed, many people turned to telephone and online gambling platforms.

"People were gambling more during the COVID isolation periods and once the lockdowns ended, nothing much improved," Professor Livingstone said.

"We've got the stresses and strains of high inflation and low wage growth - it's not getting better."

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In NSW, Murray River LGA emerged as having the biggest losses per adult at $5884 from a total loss of just over $60 million.

Wangaratta gamblers lost $8.6 million ($371 per adult) while Benalla clocked up $12 million ($1017).

In NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania people using gambling machines lost a total of $11.4 billion dollars last year.

Brisbane emerged as the biggest loser with a deficit of $591.2 million.

On a per capita basis, the highest losses were recorded by Fairfield ($2519 per adult), Canterbury-Bankstown ($1526 per adult) and Georges River, NSW ($1309 per adult). On a per user basis, NSW recorded the highest average expenditure of $4525.

Professor Livingstone said the "normalisation" of gambling in NSW was a key factor in the findings.

"Pokies have been in clubs since 1956 - as a kid I remember the old one-armed bandits," he said.

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