Canberra's clubs volunteered just $72,000 to help the city's problem gamblers in 2016-17, despite more than $168 million being poured into their poker machines in that time.
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The latest annual report on clubs' community contributions shows they made $11.9 million in such payments, 72.4 per cent of which, or $8.6 million, went to "sport and recreation" or various "non-profit" activities.
That compared with the $1 million [8.5 per cent] raised for problem gamblers through the ACT's mandatory levy and just $72,309, or 0.6 per cent of all contributions, voluntarily made to problem gamblers above the levy.
Canberra Gambling Reform Alliance's Rebecca Vassarotti said the low level of voluntary contributions to problem gambling compared to sports teams and other categories was "out of kilter with what the community expects".
While she said the figures were "pretty consistent with previous years", and the alliance recognised the importance of community contributions, she felt that "a much higher proportion [of pokie revenue] should be directed to problem gambling".
While clubs are able to claim $4 back for every $3 of poker machine revenue spent on problem gambling above the mandatory levy, which was raised from 0.6 per cent of net revenue to 0.75 per cent in July this year.
But only the Canberra Labor Club group and Ainslie Club made any voluntary problem gambling contributions in 2016-17, totalling $52,801 and $1432, respectively.
A Clubs ACT spokeswoman said problem gambling contributions were the "highest they have ever been" and clubs maintained contributions well above the legislated requirement", despite the recent levy rise.
Ms Vassarotti said the alliance also wanted to see more transparency around what specific groups benefited from the contributions, in the wake of a recent report indicating clubs were paying contributions to their own group.
She said the alliance supported the government's planned reductions to just 4000 poker machines by 2020, but the alliance also wanted measures such as per spin bet limits and mandatory pre-commitment expanded to clubs to help reduce harm.
Clubs are required to contribute at least 8 per cent of poker machine net revenue, after taxes and expenses, to community groups, but often exceed that level, contributing an average of 12.6 per cent in 2016-17.
The report also showed that despite the government's poker machine trading scheme aiming to reduce the total number of poker machines on gaming floors, some 4673 poker machines were "in operation" during the year.
That was just 349 fewer machines than the 5022 operating when the scheme began in August 2015, and compares to the latest figures showing 4,549 machines operating at the end of October.
Clubs have still only forfeited 37 authorisations to operate poker machines since the scheme began, while the 4673 figure, based on an annual total, may include older machines being replaced during the year.
The report shows clubs received $168.4 million in gross general revenue in 2016-17, a slight rise on the $167.9 million Canberrans put in club-owned machines in 2015-16.
It also showed the most profitable poker machines were again owned by the Labor Club group, followed by the Hellenic Club, Canberra Southern Cross Club and Tradesmen's Union Club groups.
The owners by number of machine were the Tuggeranong Vikings Club, Southern Cross, Raiders and Labor Club groups.
A spokeswoman for Clubs ACT said problem gambling contributions were the "highest they have ever been" and despite a recent increase to the levy, clubs maintained contributions well above the legislated requirement".
"Clubs continue to contribute over $11m annually to over 1000 community groups and organisations," she said.
