The $20.3 million figure, drawn from losses on 481 machines, is a substantial increase from the same period the previous year.

The amount of losses in the first half of the year was down compared to usual, likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however the second half of the year saw record losses from gamblers across the region.

The magnitude of losses across the state was described as "shocking" by Dr Kate da Costa, the NSW campaigner for the Alliance for Gambling Reform.

"If these figures don't alarm people enough to get proper action, what will?" she said.

"This is shocking, it's another epidemic..."

The new data published by Liquor and Gaming NSW showed Griffith's clubs, including the Exies, the Southside Leagues Club and the Coro Club, made a net profit of $12.5 million from poker machines over June 1 to November 30.

Meanwhile hotels, including the Gemini Hotel, the Area Hotel and Hotel Victoria, made a net profit of $7.8 million from their machines.

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The figures for the same period in 2019 were $9.5 million for clubs and $4.6 million for hotels, for a total of $14.2 million.

Overall in 2020, NSW saw gaming machine profits rise by 11 per cent in hotels and 7 per cent in clubs, compared with the same reporting period in 2019.

A spokesperson for Mission Australia, which runs gambling support services in communities in NSW, said their counsellors have noticed an increase in problem gambling in recent times.

State rankings show Griffith venues were up there with the state's top earners.

The Griffith Ex-Servicemen's Club was in the top 10 per cent of the state at number 92, climbing from number 132 in the 2019 period.

Meanwhile, out of a total of 1288 hotels across the state, the Gemini Hotel came in at number 159 and the Area Hotel at 196.

Dr da Costa said it was concerning that pubs, and not clubs, are raking in more of the profits as clubs have programs to funnel a portion of their back to communities.

"There's huge amounts of money being lost in pubs, more than clubs ... and that's not going back into the community," she said.

"If that money was being spent in the main street it would transform the local economy, but more than half of it is going into the bank accounts of pubs."

Dr da Costa said it is time for NSW to treat problem gambling as a public health issue that impacts the whole community.

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