In the Bay of Plenty, pokie machine spending is on the decline. Fewer gamblers are spending money on land-based poker machines, and the players that continue to wager in the local market are spending less money. From March 2012 to March 2013, local gamblers spent $520 000 less on pokies than they had during the previous year.
In Western Bay, $33.6 million was spent on poker machines, marking a significant decrease from the $34.1 million that was spent during the year prior. According to Margaret Sloan from the Tauranga Problem Gambling Foundation, the reason for the decline is increased awareness of problem gambling. As the Harm Reduction Bill receives more attention in the local media, residents are becoming aware of the potential harms of gambling.
As a result, some have stopped playing altogether while others have limited their spending. “People seem to be more ready to talk about gambling harm,” says Sloan. “We're hoping that there will be less spent or lost [through gambling] with more awareness," she said”. In addition to the decline in pokie spending, the number of games has also been reduced.
Over the course of 2012, there were 6 fewer licensees and the number of machines fell from 1403 to 1367. It is likely that the decline in spending has cause a decline in demand for poker machine operators and games. So, it is not surprising that this correlation has occurred. Local politicians and responsible gambling advocates hope that this trend will continue in the future.
The Harm Reduction Bill, which aims to reduce gambling spending, will likely result in pokie profits dropping even further as the year progresses.
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