In 2020, the overall spending on gambling declined, reported by New Zealand, but on pokie machines, Kiwis have spent $250 million, shows the Q4 numbers, the most ever paid. Spending on Pokie machine increasing steadily, and in Q3, the profit increases by 116 per cent.
Tremendous Increase in Spending on the Pokie Machines by the Kiwis
On gambling, how much money spent by Kiwis has recorded by the Department of Internal Affairs, New Zealand, in last year’s final quarter, on pokie machines the high spending recorded by the department. In 2020’s October-November, approximately $252 spent by the Kiwis, the report says.
Because of the mandatory lockdown in 2020, the overall spending decreased. Spending on casinos reduces by 22 per cent, pokies by 18 per cent and 10 per cent down in TAB, but the revenue in lottery increases by 13 per cent.
On the other hand, through pokie machines, more significant revenue generated by Q3 and Q4. Since some of the restrictions removed by the government, in Q3 alone, the reported profit of Pokies is 116 per cent. And a 6.4 per cent increase saw in Gaming Machines Proceeds.
For q4, pokies’ tremendous turnover is $252 million in the period 2020, October-November.
Some gambling problems adheres to these numbers. Andree Froude, marketing director of problem gambling foundation, on this matter, expressed her concern, asking, “where the money has come from, we would like to know”.
Biggest Spenders are Vulnerable Communities
Froude stated that, in more impoverished communities, more than half of the pokie machines are set and given the fact that a challenging year was 2020. Moreover, she stated that money should not spend by people who they cannot afford to lose.
Peter Dengate Thrush, Pokie Industry Body’s Chair, the gaming machine association, argued that gains of Q4 would melt because of the recent lockdown in Auckland and due to lack of tourists.
Thrush said that the argument of bringing down the number of gaming machine would bring back but confess that gamblers number of problems does not affect by the decreasing device.
To the government, obligatory 42 per cent of the pokie revenues are given back, and for NZ communities, there will arise a boost because of the high profits.