Kiwi gamblers spending more

More and more money is being spent on gambling, with pokie machine owners and the TAB the biggest winners.

Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) figures released yesterday show that Kiwis spent $2.38 billion on the four main gambling areas in 2017-18 – $49 million more than the previous year.

Spending on pokies increased by 2.9 per cent, while spending at the TAB rose 3.6 per cent.

But despite the extra spending, the average amount paid to gambling outlets per person aged 18 Andree Froude, Problem Gambling Foundation

and over, after adjusting for inflation and population growth, decreased over the 12-month period – from $648 to $634.

The other two areas looked at by the department – lotteries and casinos – both recorded increases of 1.1 per cent.

Increased spending on sports events was attributed in part to targeted marketing campaigns, the DIA said.

‘‘Betting turnover increased due to a combination of strong acquisition through numerous successful marketing campaigns, such as the Spring Racing Carnival, and Fifa World Cup, and significant growth in digital channels via product and feature enhancements to the TAB website and mobile app.’’

An increase in lotteries spending was put down to enhancements made to Lotto games, as well as an extended period in which the jackpot was not struck.

Problem Gambling Foundation spokeswoman Andree Froude said the figures were very concerning, though not overly surprising.

But she took issue with the figures being presented on a per Racing and sports betting (TAB) $350m (from $338m) Non-casino gaming machines (pokies) $895m (from $870m) Lotteries $561m (from $555m) Casinos $578m (from $572m)

person basis.

‘‘We don’t think it’s accurate to look at it per head of population, because a lot of people don’t actually even gamble.

‘‘When you look at that huge sum of money, it’s not coming from a lot of people spending a little bit – it’s coming from a few people who are spending a lot.’’

In the case of pokie machines, 87 per cent of New Zealanders did not use them, Froude said.

She also took issue with the increasing promotion of sports betting through the TAB, which had ‘‘normalised’’ gambling and had the potential to attract a new demographic – young men – to the betting scene.

And with only $749m (31.4 per cent) of the $238b made through gambling going back to the community, Froude said the public were being short-changed.

‘‘Apart from the ethics of using money from gambling to fund communities – it’s a real concern that we are looking at gambling to fund communities when we know that it causes harm – 31.4 per cent is actually not a very good return.’’

‘‘A few people . . . are spending a lot.’’