Media Release: Pokies Losses and Harm for 2025-26 Skyrocket as Predicted
Pokies Losses and Harm for 2025-26 Skyrocket as Predicted
17 July 2026
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb today denounced the Rockliff Government for paving the way for the predatory pokies industry to generate record pokies losses of over $208 million for 2025-26, an escalation predicted when the poker machine licensing model was shifted to individual venues in 2023.
“Tasmanians have lost a horrifying $208.2 million for the financial year of 2025-26,” Ms Webb said.
“This is an indictment on the Rockliff Government which ignored expert evidence clearly saying increased losses would result when the licensing model changed, creating a more competitive environment never before seen in Tasmania.
“Exactly as indicated by the evidence, pokies losses in Tasmania have sharply trended up since the licensing change to individual venues, with 2025-26 annual losses spiking to a never-before seen level.
“This is what happens when a government captured by vested interests ignores all expert evidence to inform public health and consumer protection decisions and instead allows a rapacious industry to write its own regulatory rules.
Ms Webb condemned the Liberal Government’s continued refusal to heed expert evidence and advice on pokies harm prevention and reduction.
“This pattern of industry-dictated regulation has seen the government discard the gold-standard mandatory pokies card with loss limits in favour of a suite of sham measures which the Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission has slammed as likely to cause even greater harm.
“We are seeing history repeat itself with the Rockliff government’s refusal to take expert advice and instead charge ahead with industry-designed measures that evidence tells us will drive higher losses and more harm.”
“Under this government, with its fake harm reduction measures, Tasmania will continue to see record pokies losses year-on-year.
“This is not theoretical harm, it is real-world impacts for Tamanian families, including increases in homelessness, mental health crises, domestic violence, poverty, crime and loss of employment and education opportunities.
“We can only conclude the Rockliff Government is causing deliberate harm to Tasmanians to deliver skyrocketing super profits to its donor mates,” Ms Webb said.
