Non-casino gaming machines

Spending in this sector decreased from $950 million in 2007 to $938 million in 2008.  More recent electronic monitoring system data suggests this decline is continuing.

The number of gaming machines is also in declining.  There were 20,182 non-casino gaming machines in December 2007 and 19,359 in December 2009.  Territorial authority venue policies in major centres do not seem conducive to growth, although there is no direct relationship between gaming machine numbers and expenditure.  The introduction of player information displays on all gaming machines from 1 July 2009 may have an impact on spending on non-casino gaming machines.

The Ministry of Health, in consultation with the Department of Internal Affairs and the Inland Revenue Department, has considered splitting the non-casino gaming machine sector into two gambling sectors: (gaming machines in pubs and gaming machines in clubs) for calculating and collecting the 2010/11-2012/13 problem gambling levy.

The Gambling Commission raised the idea of splitting the sector in its 2006 report to ministers.  Following the Commission's recommendation, the Ministry reviewed the relevant data.  The Ministry found differences in the rates of presentation among people who cited gaming at pub venues and gaming at club venues as their main mode of gambling.

Splitting the non-casino gaming machine sector would likely result in club venues contributing slightly less and pub venues slightly more to the levy.

The proposal to split the non-casino gaming machine sector into two gambling sectors (gaming machines in pubs and gaming machines in clubs) for calculating and collecting the levy will be considered for the 2013/14-2015/16 problem gambling levy, subject to the data continuing to justify this split.

(SOURCE: Ministry of Health Preventing and Minimising Harm: Three-year service plan 2010/11-2012/13)