KEY POINTS:
Kiwi gamblers spent an extra $1.8 million on pokies in the last three months of 2007.
The Department of Internal Affairs has been electronically monitoring the country's 20,000 non-casino machines since March last year.
A total of $245.3 million was spent from October to the New Year in 1585 pubs and clubs around the country.
Department figures showed the number of venues offering pokies has been in decline since the Gambling Act was passed in 2003.
The number of machines has also dropped since then, from 25,221 to 20,183.
However, the number of machines rose by 62 over the last six months of last year - the first time it has increased since 2003.
- NZPA
