According to an annual gambling activity report released by the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs, gambling spend for the financial year 2020-21 grew by 16.56% over the previous year.
The report gives a detailed breakdown of the money spent by New Zealanders on the country’s four main types of gambling activity.
| Gambling Activity | 2019/20 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|
| NZ RACING BOARD (TAB) | $315m | $385m |
| NZ LOTTERIES COMMISSION | $631m | $694m |
| GAMING MACHINES (outside Casinos) | $802m | $987m |
| CASINOS | $504m | $559m |
| Total | $2.252b | $2.625b |
Spending on all forms of gambling grew year-on-year with the most significant increase seen in the New Zealand pokies sector where those machines are located outside a casino. Pokie gambling increased by 23% from $802 million in the previous year to $987 million in 2020-21. This is the highest figure for Class 4 gambling in the past five years.
As a result of this increase in gambling through pokie machines, Internal Affairs Minister Jan Tinetti has launched an industry review to determine the best approach to reduce instances of problem gambling arising from these machines.
A government review, announced by Internal Affairs Minister Jan Tinetti, is now underway, aiming to target and reduce harm experienced by people who use pokies.
In a statement released following the publication of the report, Problem Gambling Foundation Spokesperson Andree Froude said:
“It certainly shows that Kiwis returned to gambling after the lockdown restrictions ended, spending the equivalent of NZ$730 for every adult in the country. The spend on pokies in Aotearoa is fast approaching NZ$1bn and that is money coming out of some of our poorest communities.
Froude went on to add:
“We encourage people to speak out about pokies in their communities and the funding system that relies on people in our poorest communities putting money into pokies.
“Gambling harm is a serious social issue in this country, disproportionately impacting Māori, Pasifika and Asian communities. Class 4 pokies are the most harmful form of gambling with nearly 50% of people seeking help for gambling citing pokies in pubs, clubs and TABs as their main form of gambling.”
Ciaran has been working within the Gambling Industry as a deep analyst since 2019. His deep knowledge and understanding of all the gambling regulations, and processes makes him a true asset, and an always valuable point of view for Gambling Industry News, allowing us to cover every topics from a brand new perspective.