Both Australia and New Zealand have reported recently a rise in gaming activity in some areas. In New Zealand electronic monitoring of all non-casino gaming machines was put into effect in March 2007, allowing the Department of Internal Affairs to track gaming machine gambling in each district. Within the country overall gaming activity on the machines fell by almost 1% in the last three months of 2008.

In Australia clubs in New South Wales saw gaming revenue rise by $40 million in December 2008. The increase has been attributed to the federal government’s economic stimulus package boosting disposable incomes. However, operators say that December 2007 was a particularly bad time for gaming revenue as the indoor smoking ban had come into effect. The 2008 figure was $8 million below that of December 2006.

In other news the Australian Hotels Association, whose members run most of the non-casino gaming machines, is providing a multi-lingual poster with problem gambling information. Aimed at ethnic groups, the poster is in 20 languages and offers immediate counselling assistance. It is hoped that the posters will be displayed in prominent positions near gaming machines in the pubs and clubs. (E-01.30.09)

© Copyright 2009 CasinoCompendium



>>> return to archives
>>> return to frontpage