The latest official figures have revealed the annual turnover for gaming machines in clubs and hotels in the Forbes Shire was $60.9 million in 2015-2016.

The turnover figure includes amounts that are won on the pokies and then re-invested into the machines.

The Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority report also showed there were 97 poker machines in local clubs and 52 machines in hotels.

It found that more money was put into machines in Parkes where $80.4 million was gambled, translating to $220,000 a day or more than $14 per person.

​Orange residents put through $19.17 through the pokies per person each every day.

Lifeline Central West executive director Alex Ferguson said problem gamblers made up a small percentage but their debts had serious consequences.

Mr Ferguson said: “It is a major problem, gambling addiction, because when it strikes it invariably affects not only the gambler but the family around that person,” he said.

“When it does strike it is devastating.

“The debts can be significant, they have the ability to affect the way people live.”

Mr Ferguson said poker machine gambling was generally stable but a new problem was the rise in online gambling which could be done outside of licensed, regulated premises.

“Of far greater concern in this day and age is the gambling online, sports betting in particular. It has proliferated over the past five to seven years.”

He said there had been an increase in younger people gambling online.

Gambled on poker machines in central west local government areas each day: