Spending on pokies up again
31/10/2007
Gaming machine expenditure in 1600 pubs and clubs around the country rose almost two and half per cent to $243.5 million in the three months to Sept 30 2007 compared with $237.7 million in the previous quarter, according to figures from the government’s electronic monitoring system (EMS).
The Department of Internal Affairs’ Director of Gambling Compliance, Mike Hill, said the latest figures continue the trend shown in the June quarter but the September quarter had more ‘trading’ days. The June quarter included Easter, Anzac Day and Queen’s Birthday.
“We would expect this increase to be translated into more money being returned to the community in grants from licensed societies,” Mr Hill said.
EMS became fully operational last March and enables the Department of Internal Affairs to track and monitor gaming machine operations, ensuring the integrity of games and the accurate accounting of money.
The biggest spending areas in the September quarter were Auckland City with $25.8 million (10.6 per cent of the total), Christchurch City $22.8 million (9.4 per cent) and Manukau City $19.9 million (8.2 per cent).
Non-club venues accounted for almost 87 per cent of the expenditure at $211.6 million, with chartered clubs registering eight per cent ($18.7 million), RSAs four per cent ($9.2 million) and sports clubs ($3 million) the remainder.
The September quarter gaming machine statistics fluctuated marginally on the previous quarter indicating that numbers have stabilised with the introduction of EMS. Licence holders dropped on the June 07 quarter, from 439 to 435, venues from 1598 to 1593 while gaming machines increased from 20,120 to 20,163.
| Licensed gambling operations in pubs and clubs | |||
Date | Licence holders | Venues | Gaming machines |
30 Sep 2007 | 435 | 1593 | 20,163 |
30 June 2007 | 439 | 1598 | 20,120 |
31 March 2007 | 444 | 1607 | 20,302 |
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 |
1. Machine numbers peaked in the quarter before the Gambling Act was passed.
GM spending by Society Type - July to September 2007
| Society Type | Total GMP Quarter | % of Total |
| Non-Club | $ 211,608,640.31 | 86.9% |
| Sports Clubs | $ 3,031,710.40 | 1.2% |
| Chartered Clubs | $ 19,668,670.98 | 8.1% |
| RSA's | $ 9,220,746.22 | 3.8% |
| Total Club | $ 31,921,127.60 | 13.1% |
| TOTAL ALL | $ 243,529,767.91 | 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 at: www.dia.govt.nz
Media Contact:
Trevor Henry, communications adviser, Department of Internal Affairs
Ph 04 495 7211; cell 0275 843 679
