Pokie profits are swelling as machine numbers rise across NSW despite a promise from the Labor government to cut their volumes.

Half-yearly poker machine figures show profits across the state’s hotels and clubs hit $3.92 billion in the period from December to June this year.

The figure is a slight increase on the same period in 2022 and represents gambling losses of about $22 million per day.

The number of machines in operation also increased by 648 to 87,298 in the latest period when compared to the same time frame a year earlier.

Wesley Mission chief executive Stu Cameron poker machine numbers had been heading down since 2019 and the reversal in that trend was “disturbing”.

“It’s highly likely this is the industry seeking to bolster their position in a window before potential reforms are introduced,” he said.

Labor won the March election on a platform that included a pledge to reduce poker machine numbers, including an immediate cut to the entitlement cap across the state.

Its policies also included a higher forfeiture rate when pokies were traded, requiring one machine entitlement to be given up for every two sold.

But it was criticised for not matching the coalition’s promise to introduce mandatory cashless gaming cards across the state, instead opting for a 12-month trial of the technology across 500 machines.

Mr Cameron said the scale of the pokie losses highlighted the need to introduce immediate reforms to minimise the impact on families amid a cost-of-living crisis.

“Given this ongoing upward trajectory of tragedy and increasing levels of gambling harm, NSW remains in the grip of a growing public health crisis,” he said.

– AAP