Pokie Expenditure Down

Gaming machine expenditure in the country’s 1470 pubs and clubs in the first three months of the year continued the trend of previous years with a drop of almost nine per cent on the previous quarter. It was also four per cent down on the same period last year and five per cent down on an annual basis.

Figures released by the Department of Internal Affairs show that spending dropped from $218.8 million in the December 09 quarter to $199.9 million at 31 March 2010 and was $208.7 m at 31 March 2009. The first quarter drop is similar to last year’s of 9.5 per cent and 11 per cent in the first quarter of 2008.

There were fewer licence holders, gambling venues and gaming machines at the end March 2010 compared with the December quarter. Licence holders dropped from 378 to 374, venues dropped from 1491 to 1470 and gaming machines were down from 19,359 to 19,115.

The Department tracks and monitors non-casino gaming machine operations and captures spending through electronic monitoring (EMS), ensuring the integrity of games and the accurate accounting of money. EMS became fully operational in March 2007.

Non-casino GM spending by Society Type – January-March 2010

Society Type / Total GMP Quarter / % of Total

Non-Club / $173,162,412.26 / 86.6%

Sports Clubs / $ 4,078,419.89 / 2.0%

Chartered Clubs / $ 15,042,517.47 / 7.5%

RSAs / $ 7,576,308.44 / 3.8%

Total Club / $ 26,697,245.80 / 13.4%

Total All / $199,859,658.06 / 100.0%
 

Non-casino GM spending in quarter ended

31 March 2010 / $199.9 m

31 December 2009 / $218.8 m

30 September 2009 / $220.7 m

30 June 2009 / $217.3 m

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

Licensed gambling operations in pubs and clubs

Date / Licence holders / Venues / Gaming machines

31 March 2010 / 374 / 1470 / 19,115/

31 Dec 2009 / 378 / 1491 / 19,359

30 Sept 2009 / 377 / 1486 / 19,296

30 June 2009 / 384 / 1501 / 19,479
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

ENDS