In just three months, 867 pokie machines across Hawke's Bay raked in $9.6 million.
While that figure may seem enormous, those dealing with the repercussions of gambling here, were not surprised.
"I don't think people understand that it brings in about $15 billion per annum - that's the normal national figure," Te Rangihaeata Oranga Trust Hawke's Bay manager Shirley Lammas said.
"It has been climbing since they first appeared, about 10 years ago."
Hawke's Bay accounted for $38 million of that national figure in the last year.
Te Rangihaeata Oranga Trust, based in Napier with offices in Hastings, Waipukurau and Wairoa, offer solutions for a "cross section" of people who struggle with gambling addictions.
Ms Lammas said about 50 per cent of the people they helped were Maori.
Recent figures released by the Department of Internal Affairs for the period of June 30 to September 30 showed Napier, labelled the pokie capital of New Zealand, was the largest money maker in the region contributing $4,397,538 to the total.
Close behind was Hastings with $4,045,717, then Central Hawke's Bay (CHB) with $645, 310 and Wairoa with $598, 882.
A 2006 study showed Napier had the highest ratio of non-casino gaming machines per head of population. They still lead the pack with 388 machines at 25 venues.
Hastings has 347 machines at 23 venues, CHB 74 at seven venues and Wairoa 58 at four venues.
A third of the money made by pokie machines went to the Government, a third to the venue operator and the remaining third makes its way back into the community.
Many community organisations had grown to rely on profits from gaming machines for funding, which created issues, Ms Lammas said.
"We have got these communities that are dependent on money from the pokies going back into the community. It is a vicious cycle."
Part of the problem was not enough of the overall profit was going toward helping curb the problem of gambling.
"When I say a third comes to us - the money that comes back into health and social services is minimal.
"We are the ones who pick up the pieces."
Pokies are the most common gambling addiction that Te Rangihaeata Oranga Trust deal with followed by the TAB and a new trend of internet gambling.
"Another thing we are seeing is people getting involved with internet poker," she said. "Watch this space going forward."
Councils across the region handle the problem of pokie machines in different ways, but Napier and Hastings shared similar views.
The Hastings District Council chose to implement a "sinking lid" policy after a review last year, environment policy manager Philip McKay said.
"[Sinking lid] means no new venues can have machines in the Hastings area. But it does allow for the re-location of a club, such as the RSA, as long as they don't increase the number of machines they have."
The policy would remain the same unless a change was voted on at a three-yearly review in 2012.
Napier City Council policy stated pokie machines had to be confined to the city centre.
It also kept the maximum number of venues where machines could be housed to 26 and the maximum number of machines to 18.
There is an exception to that rule whereby two clubs can amalgamate and apply to have up to 30 machines in the one place.
"Currently Napier City has a sinking lid, but with the ability for the business to relocate under the Gambling Act," Napier City Council Regulatory Services manager, Mike Webster said.
It was not a problem if people wanted to "move from A to B" as long as they applied and the new venue met with council policy, he said.