Pokie spend drops 10 per cent
22 April 2009
Gaming machine expenditure in pubs and clubs in the first three months of this year was almost 10 per cent lower than the previous quarter, according to figures released today by the Department of Internal Affairs. Spending dropped from $230.7m at 31 December 2008 to $208.7m at 31 March 2009. Twelve months ago the first quarter spend of 2008 showed a similar drop of 11 per cent but rose in the following two quarters.
Expenditure in the year to 31 March 2009 at $902.7 million was 4.5 per cent lower than the $945 million recorded for the year to 31 March 2008.
The spending is captured through the electronic monitoring of non-casino gaming machines (EMS) 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.
| Society Type | Total GMP Quarter | % of Total |
Non-Club | $180,417,054.30 | 86.5% |
| Sports Clubs | $4,230,252.72 | 2.0% |
| Chartered Clubs | $15,872,629.52 | 7.6% |
| RSAs | $8,149,284.81 | 3.9% |
Total Club | $28,252,167.05 | 13.5% |
Total All | $208,669,221.35 | 100.0% |
Non-casino GM spending in quarter ended
| 31 March 2009 | $208.7 m |
| 31 December 2008 | $230.7 m |
| 30 September 2008 | $232.3 m |
| 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 |
Internal Affairs Director of Gambling Compliance, Mike Hill said the number of gaming machines, was slightly down on the December 08 quarter, but has remained at around 20,000 since the introduction of EMS. There were also fewer licensed societies and venues compared with the December quarter.
Licensed gambling operations in pubs and clubs | |||
Date | Licence holders | Venues | Gaming machines |
31 March 2009 | 394 | 1527 | 19,739 |
31 Dec 2008 | 399 | 1537 | 19,879 |
30 Sept 2008 | 405 | 1551 | 20,025 |
30 June 2008 | 415 | 1552 | 19,856 |
31 March 2008 | 421 | 1569 | 20,018 |
31 Dec 2007 | 428 | 1585 | 20,182 |
30 Sept 2007 | 435 | 1593 | 20,163 |
30 June 2007 | 439 | 1598 | 20,120 |
31 March 2007 | 444 | 1607 | 20,302 |
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: www.dia.govt.nz
Media Contact:
Trevor Henry, communications adviser, Department of Internal Affairs
Ph 04 495 7211; cell 0275 843 679
