25% Decline in Pokies Machine Spend in Victoria

According to the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation, the average annual spending on poker machines in Victoria has decreased by almost twenty-five per cent over the last decade. The report shows that the annual spend on poker machines has fallen from $627 to $613 in the last nine years, and when inflation is taken into account a 24 per cent drop in spending per person can be seen during this period.

As Minister for Gaming Michael O’Brien explained this week, even though the population in Victoria has increased, spending on pokies remained the same, and as a result the average pokies spend has fallen considerably.

As well as a decline in spending on poker machines in Victoria, there has also been a big drop in gambling expenditure across Australia as a whole– indeed although Australians spent $17.7 billion on gambling last year; this figure was $800 less than the previous year. Whilst Australian residents spent more than $12.5 billion on pokies in 2010, in 2011 only $10.3 billion was spent by residents.

The reason for the recent fall in spending is currently unknown however many believe that recent debate over pokies reform may have had an effect on public attitudes to pokies machines. Another reason for the decline could be recent efforts to tackle problem gambling, with the establishment of an independent gambling foundation to help individuals with gambling problems through counselling and other campaigns.

Play Online Pokies at Real Money Microgaming Online Casinos

More Online Pokies News