New Zealand Gambling Profits Increase This Fiscal Year

While the state of online casinos in New Zealand is ever on the rise, thanks to the constant development of new online casinos, what can be said for the brick and mortar casino industry? Recently, the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs released an update on the growth of the casino industry over the past fiscal year. According to the findings, the gambling spend across the nation has risen to a 17% year-on-year increase.

This can be attributed in part to the relaxation of Covid-19 bans. However, the most interesting piece of information about this rise is where the increases are coming from! Read on below now to find out.

Pokies Lead The Charge In Increases

It was found that poker machines were the main source of income within the report. However, a large portion of this percentile was generated by pokies not located at land-based casinos.

The findings reveal that pokies located at Clubs and Bars rose by 23%, reaching a total gross income of $987 million for the fiscal year. This comes as no surprise since pokies have always been the most loved of casino games. However, the fact that these pokies were played outside of land-based casinos is.

The Second Highest Contributor

Second to the podium is TAB racing and sports betting. This sector missed the pokies increase by only 1%. In total, the sports betting market managed to pull in $385 million.

The following sports contribute to the market growth as some of the most popular fixtures to wager on in New Zealand:

1. Rugby
2. Cricket
3. Football
4. Basketball
5. Horse Racing
6. eSports

Where Do Casinos Stand In The Increase?

Land-based casinos also contributed to the rise of the market as well. However, unlike the above two sectors, casinos were reported to have only an 11% increase from the previous year. The total contributions of the casino industry were $559 million.

Another gambling facet that contributed to the market growth came from local lotteries. This sector improved by 10% and brought in a total of $694 million.

What This Increase Means For New Zealand

The increase in revenue means a boost for the NZ government as well as the economy. This is positive news after the devastation of Covid-19. However, the government has expressed concerns due to the gambling increase. They shared concerns about a potential rise in gambling addictions.

As a result, the government has stated that they will now focus more energy on reviewing existing pokies. However, it is worth noting that problem gambling within NZ accounts for only 1% of the population in total.