Pokie takings continuing to increase

24/01/2017

Despite the continual decline in the number of gaming machines across New Zealand, spending on pub and club pokies has risen again, according to figures from the Department of Internal Affairs.

Proceeds in the fourth quarter of this year were $9.2 million or 4.3 per cent more than for the same period last year. Spending in the three months to 31 December 2016 was $223.6 million compared with $214.3 million for the three months to 31 December 2015; it was also $4.7 million or 2.1 per cent more than the $218.9 million spent in the previous three months to September 2016.

For the year to 31 December 2016 expenditure totalled $858.2 million – $30 million or 3.6 per cent more than the $828.1 million for the 12 months ended 31 December 2015.

There were fewer licence holders, gambling venues and gaming machines at 31 December 2016, compared with 12 months earlier. Over the year licence holders fell 6.3 per cent from 300 to 281, venues declined 2.6 per cent from 1238 to 1206, and gaming machines dropped 1.5 per cent from 16,393 to 16,148.

Non-casino GM spending by Society Type – Oct-Dec 2016

The spending is captured through the electronic monitoring of non-casino gaming machines (EMS), which became fully operational in March 2007, enabling the Department to track and monitor operations; ensure the integrity of games and the accurate accounting of money.

Further information, including numbers of venues, machines and expenditure by territorial authority areas and changes in the quarter, is available from the Department’s Gaming Statistics web page. The figures are based on territorial authority boundaries, including Auckland city.

Media contact:
Emma Blackmore, Communications Manager PREA, Department of Internal Affairs
Ph 027 201 7415

(Background statistics)
Non-casino GM spending in quarter ended