Annual pokie spend drops
24/07/2008
Gaming machine expenditure in the country’s 1600 pubs and clubs fell by just over one per cent in the year to June 30, 2008, from an estimated $950 million to $938.3 million, according to figures from the Department of Internal Affairs. In the 2006/07 year gaming machine spending rose about five per cent from $906 million.
This is the first time it has been possible to produce an accurate record of annual pokie expenditure, due to the electronic monitoring of non-casino gaming machines which became fully operational in March 2007. The Department can track and monitor operations, ensuring the integrity of games and the accurate accounting of money.
Expenditure in the three months to 30 June 2008 rose almost six per cent to $231 million compared with a drop of almost 11 per cent from $245.3 million to $218.5 million in the March quarter. June 08 quarter spending was almost three per cent lower than for the same period last year.
Pubs accounted for 86 per cent of the June 08 quarter expenditure at $199 million, with chartered clubs registering 7.9 per cent ($18.3 million), RSAs four per cent ($9.2 million) and sports clubs ($4.5 million) the remainder.
Internal Affairs Director of Gambling Compliance, Mike Hill said the number of gaming machines, which were down on the March 08 quarter, had remained relatively stable since the introduction of electronic monitoring (EMS).
“There is always some fluctuation in venues and gaming machines when these statistics are recorded,” Mike Hill said. “They are a snapshot of the sector as at June 30 when there was an abnormally high number of venues transferring due to one society withdrawing from the market. During transfers machines are unlicensed, not operating and therefore not counted.”
| Licensed gambling operations in pubs and clubs | |||
Date | Licence holders | Venues | Gaming machines |
30 June 2008 | 415 | 1552 | 19,856 |
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 – April to June 2008
| Society Type | Total GMP Quarter | % of Total |
Non-Club | $198,982,160.68 | 86.1% |
| Sports Clubs | $4,545,159.04 | 2.0% |
| Chartered Clubs | $18,252,654.92 | 7.9% |
| RSA's | $9,231,183.43 | 4.0% |
Total Club | $32,028,997.39 | 13.9% |
Total All | $231,011,158.07 | 100.0% |
Non-casino GM spending in quarter ended
| 30 June 2008 | $231 m |
| 31 March 2008 | $218.5 m |
| 31 December 2007 | $245.3 m |
| 30 September 2007 | $243.5 m |
| 30 June 2007 | $237.7 m |
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 at: http://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/wpg_URL/Resource-material-Information-We-Provide-Gaming-Statistics?OpenDocument
Media Contact:
Trevor Henry, communications adviser, Department of Internal Affairs
Ph 04 495 7211; cell 0275 843 679
