75 percent of pokie players. Pokie players are estimated to account for 75-80 percent of all problem gamblers, according to Australia's Productivity Commission. The estimated number of problem gamblers ranges around 115,000 people (0.7 per cent of the adult population) with another 280,000 (1.7 per cent) at 'moderate risk'. Australia has a population of 22,000,000.

$250 per withdrawal. Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie is also proposing a $250 limit on ATM withdrawals, as part of his ambitious plan to cut gambling losses in the coutnry. Wilkie pledged his support for the minority Labor government at last year's elections in exchange for action taken to clean up problem gambling. The agreement between Senator Wilkie and Prime Minister Gillard also requires incorporating 'dynamic warnings' and cost-of-play displays on gaming machines; and the $250 limit on ATM withdrawals.

$500 max prize. Aside from the withdrawal limit and the warnings, Wilkie's plan involves (i) players on high-intensity machines committing beforehand to a maximum they are prepared to lose over a period and being locked out if they exceed it; or alternatively, (ii) players could agree to restrict themselves to using machines with maximum $1 bets and $500 prizes. According to Mr. Wilkie, 88 per cent of poker machine players bet $1 or less but about half of the remaining 12 per cent are problem gamblers. If the plan is approved, then existing machines would have to be reconfigured or replace.

$590 per hour. A gambler could lose $590 to $1,750 per hour using a two-cent Australian style pokie machine, according to the Productivity Commission. By betting on multiple 'lines' and with multiple credits per line, gamblers can end up wagering $10 every few seconds. People could 'expect' to lose $590 per hour of play if they staked $10 per button push at an average speed of 5.5 seconds per button push. Someone with a quick 'trigger finger' could expect to lose $1,050 an hour, with the most common outcome being a loss of $1,750.

$1,300 per resident. Close to $1,300 (US$1,400) per resident above 17 in Australia were lost to gambling last year, the highest in the world, according to global gaming-industry consultants H2 Gambling Capital. Singapore, which recently built two mega casinos, was next on about US$1150. But as to wealth, Singapore has the highest concentration of millionaire households, with 15.5 percent of all households having at least $1 million, compared to only 1% in Australia.

160,000 people. Clubs, hotels and casinos -- entities that rely on gambling -- employs about 160,000 people, highlighting the fact that the gambling industry provides benefits.

200,000 slot-machines. There are 200,000 slot-machines- known locally as pokies - in Australia.

$23 million profit. Aristocrat Leisure Ltd. reported a profit of $23.3 million on revenue of $137.6 million from the sale of slot machines in Australia in 2010. Revenue declined 33.8% from 2009.

$1.6 billion revenue. Victoria earned $1.6 billion from gambling related taxes in 2008-2009, comprising 13 percent of state revenue. In Queensland and South Australia, it was 11 percent, Tasmania, 10 percent, NSW 9 percent and WA 4 percent, according to Marketwatch. This indicates that Wilkes' plan may not be smooth sailing as states rely on gambling revenue.

$19 billion lost. A total of $19 billion were spent (or lost) by Australians in gambling in 2008-2009, which, is around the same as purchases of motor vehicles, and 40 per cent more than retail alcohol purchases, according to Australia's Productivity Commission.