Kiwis spending less on pokies

Kiwis are spending less money topping up our pokie machines, according to latest figures.

Gaming machine expenditure in the three months to March 31was almost nine per cent down on the previous quarter, dropping from $218.8 million to $199.9 million, in line with a drop off in the number of gaming machines in this country.

This figure is also four per cent down on the same period last year.

Figures from the Department of Internal Affairs show there were fewer licence holders, gambling venues and gaming machines at the end of March, compared with the December 2009 quarter.

Licence holders dropped from 378 to 374, venues dropped from 1491 to 1470 and gaming machines were down from 19,359 to 19,115

People using gaming machines in non clubs made up 86.6 per cent of the spending during the quarter, with chartered clubs (7.5 per cent), sports clubs (2 per cent) and RSAs (3.8 per cent) making up the rest.

- NZ HERALD ONLINE