8684.0 - Gambling Industries, Australia, 1994-95  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 05/02/1997   
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MEDIA RELEASE

February 05, 1997
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
10/1997

Australia's gambling industries, 1994-95

Australia's gambling industries had a net take of $7,597 million during 1994-95 according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Poker/gaming machines were the major source of takings accounting for just over half ($3,869 million) of all net takings. Overall there were 119,346 poker/gaming machines in operation at the end of June 1995. Seventy per cent were located in hospitality clubs and 23 per cent in pubs, taverns and bars. Over half of all poker/gaming machines were located in New South Wales.

Of the other forms of gambling, lotteries (including lotto) and wagering (on course and off course totalisator and bookmakers) each accounted for 18 per cent of net takings, while casino gaming tables represented 13 per cent of net takings.

Businesses whose main activity was the provision of gambling services such as casinos, lotteries operation, TABs, bookmakers etc accounted for the major portion of these takings with $4,924 million. Other industries - specifically hospitality clubs, pubs, taverns and bars and sports - accounted for the rest of the takings ($2,673 million). Of these hospitality clubs were the largest with net takings of $2,222 million.

Within the gambling industries, the lotteries sector's 178 businesses employed 2,006 people. These businesses generated total income of $4,134 million, of which $3,977 million was gross takings from gambling. These businesses incurred expenses of $3,344 million, of which $2,095 million (63 per cent) was in the form of prize monies paid. The operating profit of $793 million represented an operating profit margin of 19.4 per cent.

At the end of June 1995, Australia's 14 casinos employed 15,837 people. These businesses generated $1,651 million in income, of which $1,382 million (84 per cent) came from net gambling takings. Wages and salaries expenses of $417 million, and gambling taxes of $296 million, were the largest single expenditure items within total expenses of $1,545 million. The operating profit margin for casinos was 6.5 per cent.

There were 1,849 businesses in the other gambling services industry (ie TABs, bookmakers etc) employing 14,219 people. In 1994-95 these businesses generated income of $9,726 million. The most significant income source was gross takings from off-course TAB sales of $8,023 million. The industry incurred expenses of $9,336 million, of which $7,883 million (84 per cent) was winnings paid to bettors.

Details are in Gambling Industries, Australia 1994-95 (cat. no. 8684.0) available from ABS bookshops.