Gambling Spending Drops in 2004/05 Year
Statistics for 2004/05 suggest that the amount NZers spend on gambling may have peaked, for the time being at least. Spending on the main forms of gambling fell by 0.6 percent, from a record high of $2.039 billion in 2003/04, to $2.027 billion in 2004/05.
Although the reduction is less than one per cent, it is only the second time in at least 25 years that total spending has fallen from one year to the next. More significantly, it is the first time that either non-casino gaming machine spending or casino spending has dropped. This is important because its known that gaming machines, including casino gaming machines, are the most harmful form of gambling.
Overall spending in 2004/05 on gambling was made up of:
Gambling product |
2004/05 Spending (Player Losses) ($) |
Increase / Decrease from 2003/04 (%) |
Racing and sports betting |
247 million |
+ 3.3 |
Lotteries Commission products |
280 million |
- 0.7 |
Non-casino gaming machines |
1.027 billion |
- 0.8 |
Casinos |
472 million |
- 2.5 |
Total spending |
2.027 billion |
- 0.6 |
A spokesperson from the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) said that 2004/05 seems to have been a year of two halves, as a result of the new regulatory environment introduced by the Gambling Act 2003 and its associated regulations being complemented by the smoke-free legislation that came into force on 10 December 2004. There were indications that spending on non-casino gaming machine and casino gambling increased a little in the first half of 2004/05, before falling below the equivalent 2003/04 figures in the second half of the year.
The Department of Internal Affairs Website has a range of gambling information on its website: www.dia.govt.nz |
Contact for Enquiries
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