SYDNEY, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Australia's most populous state of New South Wales (NSW) saw record-high losses in slot machines in 2024 despite gambling harm minimization measures introduced by the state government.

According to the latest figures from Liquor and Gaming NSW, the state's liquor and gaming regulator, slot machine losses in the state totaled 8.64 billion Australian dollars (5.53 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024.

It represents a 6.4-percent increase from the 8.12 billion Australian dollars (5.19 billion U.S. dollars) lost in 2023 and the highest figure on record.

Since 2019, slot machine losses in NSW have increased by 30.7 percent from 6.61 billion Australian dollars (4.23 billion U.S. dollars).

In the final three months of 2024, Liquor and Gaming NSW said that slot machine losses exceeded 1 million Australian dollars per hour on average.

NSW accounts for about 30 percent of the Australian population, with over 8.4 million people.

According to the state's gambling harm minimization measures effective from July 2024, it is compulsory for venues with licenses for more than 20 slot machines to employ responsible gambling officers and made it illegal for venues to place signs relating to slot machines within sight of ATMs.

Stu Cameron, chief executive of community support organization the Wesley Mission, said that NSW was facing a "preventable public health crisis."

"There is no clear reason for this damaging rise though it is reasonable to assert that a ruthlessly efficient, harm-causing industry continues to perfect their business models that wreak havoc across NSW," he told Australia's 9News network.

A spokesperson for David Harris, NSW's minister for gaming and racing, said that it would take time for the government's reforms to show an impact. Enditem

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