Kiwis tend to be big spenders when it comes to gambling. In recent years, we have seen a slight increase in the amount of money that New Zealand residents spend on gambling activities every year – and 2013 was no different. According to new figures from the Department of Internal Affairs, there was a $7 million increase in gambling spending over the last year.

All-in-all, New Zealand gamblers spent $2 billion on the four categories of gambling that are available in the country: lottery, TAB betting, casino gambling and pokies. Each category saw a significant increase in spending during 2013. TAB racing and sports betting saw an increase of 4%, bringing last year’s spending up from $283 million to $294 million Casino gambling saw a 2.1% increase in 2013, from $509 million to $520 million.

New Zealand Lottery saw a significant increase in 2013, as players spent 3.1% more on scratch cards and lottery tickets. The increase is likely due to the number of large jackpots that were offered this year. Throughout 2013, there were plenty of multi-million dollar prizes offered regularly. When jackpots worth $5 million and more are up for grabs, lottery sales always surge.

Since this was often the case last year, it is no wonder lottery spending was on the rise. Another big winner in 2013 was the poker machine industry. It was the most profitable of the four gambling categories, bringing in $826 million which is a 3.1% increase on the previous year. Despite sinking lid policies being enacted across the country, pokie spending is still on the rise in New Zealand – and these statistics are a testament to that.

Thanks to the significant increase in gambling spending across New Zealand, local community groups have cashed in on generous donations from gambling grants. 31% of all gambling spending was donated to community organizations, contributing a grand total of $637 million. The lottery donated $220 million while gaming machines donated $290.

Casinos awarded $3 million in gambling grants while $142 million was donated by the New Zealand Racing Board.

About the Author

George Anderson
Author George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.