Rotorua addiction counsellor Linda Tiro said gambling was often seen a "soft" addiction, and not as harmful as drugs or alcohol.
"You don't find many people who have drunk away their house, but we find people who have gambled away their assets. It impacts people in a much more devastating financial way than other addictions."
A new Ministry of Health-commissioned study has found the total harm of gambling - including low, moderate and high-risk gamblers - was almost twice that of drug use disorders, bipolar affective disorder, eating disorders and schizophrenia combined.
The analysis also found gambling causes 77 per cent of the harm caused by hazardous drinking - just over three quarters the amount.
It also found the "burden of harm" posed by problem gambling hurt non-problem gamblers four times more than those with an identified problem.
"We're only just scratching the surface of that with the people we see. There would be an awful lot of families who are hurting from that gambling, and that may not be at that point of seeking help," Ms Tiro said.
"A lot of people are trying to win their way back, if they get themselves into financial difficulty.
"People often hit the crisis point before they acknowledge it's an issue."
A Rotorua Lakes Council gambling report from this year found 78 per cent of people surveyed had gambled in some form in the previous six months. Most played Lotto (61 per cent), while less than one in 10 (8 per cent) respondents had played the pokies.
The Problem Gambling Foundation cited an Australian Government report which showed problem gamblers, while a small percentage of all gamblers, contributed 40 per cent of money lost on pokies.
Bruce Robertson, the representative body Class 4 Gaming Working Group chairman, said very few people had any problem with gambling, and for most people it was controlled and fun.
"The vast majority of people that play pokie machines are doing for entertainment and are doing within their limits," Mr Robertson said.
"The proceeds of gaming machines goes exclusively to good works in the community, and the government in tax. And that's all positive."
Charitable organisations, like Pub Charity, Lions and New Zealand Community Trust, own the pokies and receive the money from the machines. They're required to distribute a minimum of 40 per cent of the money taken in to community groups and charities that apply.
"Nationwide that's something around $300 million a year going back to the community. It makes a really positive and constructive contribution to the community."
He said overall there was a long term decline gambling expenditure, and only in the last few years has it risen.
"You need to look at it in the context of the current economic environment. You've got a strong economy, you've got strong ongoing population growth, and record tourist numbers. So really it's not a surprise the numbers are going up."
He said New Zealand was a world leader in supporting people who recognised they had a problem and sought help.
The Ministry of Health study found problem gambling affected about 23,000 people nationwide - less than 1 per cent of the adult population - while moderate and low-risk gambling affected 237,000 people, 10 times as many.
BY THE NUMBERS
Pokie machine expenditure, from July to June:
2017: $22.14m. Per machine (386): $57,364
2016: $20.73m. Per machine (382): $54,266
Number of machines, total quarterly take, annual per machine take.
Rotorua central: 261, $4,077,900.54, $62,500
Fenton Park/Mangakakahi/Pukehangi: 56, $553,323.59, $39,500
Ngongotaha/Selwyn Heights: 34, $494,335.46, $58,160
Hillcrest/Reporoa/Tihiotonga: 35, $316,407.31, $36,160
For the quarter to June 2017.
- Source: Department of Internal Affairs
