Pokie spend drops

Gaming machine expenditure in almost 1600 pubs and clubs around the country fell by just under 11 per cent to $218.5 million in the three months to March 31, 2008 reversing the trend of the previous three quarters, according to figures from the Department of Internal Affairs. Expenditure was $245.3 million in the December quarter, $243.5 million in the September quarter and $237.7 million in the June quarter.

The electronic monitoring of 20,000 non-casino gaming machines became fully operational in March 2007 enabling the Department to track and monitor operations, ensuring the integrity of games and the accurate accounting of money.

Spending was down in 68 of the 73 districts. The biggest spending areas in the March quarter were Auckland City, down by $3.6 million to $21.6 million (9.9 per cent of the total) from 1607 machines, Christchurch City, down by $2.9 million to $20.7 million (9.5 per cent) from 1890 machines and Manukau City, down by $3 million to $17.1 million (7.8 per cent) from 1014 machines.

Non-club venues accounted for 86 per cent of the expenditure at $188.6 million, with chartered clubs registering 7.8 per cent ($17 million), RSAs four per cent ($8.8 million) and sports clubs ($4.1 million) the remainder.
The March quarter gaming machine statistics were all down on the December 07 quarter. Licence holders dropped, from 428 to 421, venues from 1585 to 1569 and gaming machines from 20,182 to 20,018.
The statistics were also down on 12 months ago when there were 444 societies operating 20,302 machines at 1607 venues.
Licensed gambling operations in pubs and clubs
Date Licenceholders Venues Gaming machines
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
31 Dec 2006 476 1666 20,518
30 Sept 2006 481 1676 20,571
30 June 2006 496 1701 20,739
31 March 2006 513 1721 21,026
31 Dec 2005 526 1747 21,343
30 Sept 2005 535 1770 21,684
30 June 2005 553 1801 21,846
31 March 2005 568 1838 22,159
31 Dec 2004 584 1850 22,231
31 Dec 2003 672 2031 22,734
30 June 2003(1)699 2122 25,221
(1) Machine numbers peaked in the quarter before the Gambling Act was passed.

GM spending by Society Type - January to March 2008
Society Type Total GMP Quarter % of Total
Non-Club $188,633,431.15 86.3%
Sports Clubs $4,081,460.72 1.9%
Chartered Clubs $16,983,450.88 7.8%
RSAs $8,787,142.45 4.0%
Total Club $29,852,054.05 13.7%
Total All $218,485,485.20 100.0%

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