Pokie spend drops
30 April 2008
Gaming machine expenditure in almost 1600 pubs and clubs around the country fell by just under 11 per cent to $218.5 million in the three months to March 31, 2008 reversing the trend of the previous three quarters, according to figures from the Department of Internal Affairs. Expenditure was $245.3 million in the December quarter, $243.5 million in the September quarter and $237.7 million in the June quarter.
The electronic monitoring of 20,000 non-casino gaming machines became fully operational in March 2007 enabling the Department to track and monitor operations, ensuring the integrity of games and the accurate accounting of money.
Spending was down in 68 of the 73 districts. The biggest spending areas in the March quarter were Auckland City, down by $3.6 million to $21.6 million (9.9 per cent of the total) from 1607 machines, Christchurch City, down by $2.9 million to $20.7 million (9.5 per cent) from 1890 machines and Manukau City, down by $3 million to $17.1 million (7.8 per cent) from 1014 machines.
Non-club venues accounted for 86 per cent of the expenditure at $188.6 million, with chartered clubs registering 7.8 per cent ($17 million), RSAs four per cent ($8.8 million) and sports clubs ($4.1 million) the remainder.
The March quarter gaming machine statistics were all down on the December 07 quarter. Licence holders dropped, from 428 to 421, venues from 1585 to 1569 and gaming machines from 20,182 to 20,018.
The statistics were also down on 12 months ago when there were 444 societies operating 20,302 machines at 1607 venues.
| Licensed gambling operations in pubs and clubs | |||
Date | Licence holders | Venues | Gaming machines |
| 31 March 2008 | 421 | 1569 | 20,018 |
| 31 December 2007 | 428 | 1585 | 20,182 |
| 30 September 2007 | 435 | 1593 | 20,163 |
| 30 June 2007 | 439 | 1598 | 20,120 |
| 31 March 2007 | 444 | 1607 | 20,302 |
| 31 December 2006 | 476 | 1666 | 20,518 |
| 30 September 2006 | 481 | 1676 | 20,571 |
| 30 June 2006 | 496 | 1701 | 20,739 |
| 31 March 2006 | 513 | 1721 | 21,026 |
| 31 December 2005 | 526 | 1747 | 21,343 |
| 30 September 2005 | 535 | 1770 | 21,684 |
| 30 June 2005 | 553 | 1801 | 21,846 |
| 31 March 2005 | 568 | 1838 | 22,159 |
| 31 December 2004 | 584 | 1850 | 22,231 |
| 31 December 2003 | 672 | 2031 | 22,734 |
| 30 June 20031 | 699 | 2122 | 25,221 |
GM spending by Society Type - January to March 2008
| Society Type | Total GMP Quarter | % of Total |
| Non-Club | $188,633,431.15 | 86.3% |
| Sports Clubs | $4,081,460.72 | 1.9% |
| Chartered Clubs | $16,983,450.88 | 7.8% |
| RSAs | $8,787,142.45 | 4.0% |
Total Club | $29,852,054.05 | 13.7% |
Total All | $218,485,485.20 | 100.0% |
Further information, including numbers of venues, machines and expenditure by territorial authority and changes in the quarter, is available from the Department’s Gaming Statistics web page.
Media Contact:
Trevor Henry, communications adviser, Department of Internal Affairs
Ph 04 495 7211; cell 0275 843 679
