8647.0 - Gambling Industries, Australia, Preliminary, 1997-98  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 08/04/1999   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

INTRODUCTION
Data in this publication are from a survey of employing businesses classified to the following Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) classes:

    • Class 5720-Pubs, taverns and bars
    • Class 5740-Clubs (hospitality)
    • Class 9321-Lotteries
    • Class 9322-Casinos
    • Class 9329-Gambling services n.e.c.
which derived some part of their income, in the form of takings or commissions, from the provision of gambling services. Businesses such as newsagencies, which may also be involved in the provision of gambling services through the sale of lottery and lotto tickets, were excluded from the survey. Similarly non-employing gambling businesses, e.g. some bookmakers, were also excluded from the survey. The businesses excluded from the survey are not significant in terms of gambling activity.

The data presented, including employment, are in respect of the whole business, irrespective of whether the provision of gambling services was the predominant activity of the business, as is the case for businesses such as TABs, lotteries and casinos, or a minor activity, as may be the situation for businesses such as pubs and clubs.

The main aggregates presented in this publication are net takings from gambling and commissions from gambling. Net takings from gambling represent gross gambling income minus the payments of prize money and winnings. Commissions from gambling may be received by businesses for acting as agents in the sale of lottery and lotto type tickets; as agents for TAB totalisators; and in some States for providing the venue for the operation of poker/gaming machines owned by another business.

The data in this publication have been presented in three ways.

Table 1 presents net takings from gambling by type of gambling activity and the venue of the activity. For example, net takings from poker/gaming machines are allocated to where the machines were located, regardless of the industry of the operator of the machines.

Table 2 presents data by industry. Businesses have been allocated to a single ANZSIC class industry based on their predominant activity and all their activities are allocated to that industry.

Finally, table 3 presents key aggregates for businesses providing gambling services by State and Territory. The data have been compiled on the basis of where the business operates (see paragraph 5 of the Explanatory Notes). It should be noted that the net takings from gambling of a business in a particular State or Territory are not necessarily sourced from residents of that State. For example, while businesses operating lotteries, lotto's, football pools etc. generally operate from one State, they may have sales, usually through agencies, throughout Australia.


NUMBER OF BUSINESSES
At the end of June 1998, there were 6,986 employing businesses in the selected hospitality and gambling industries (see paragraph 3 of the Explanatory Notes) which were involved directly in the provision of gambling services.

The 6,986 businesses in these industries represented an increase of 7% since June 1995. The number of pubs, taverns and bars deriving income from the provision of gambling services increased by 20% (from 2,327 to 2,785) over the period while the number of clubs involved in the provision of gambling services increased 13% (from 2,144 to 2,419 businesses). On a regional basis the largest increases occurred in South Australia (47%) and Tasmania (29%).


NET TAKINGS FROM GAMBLING
In spite of the small increase in the number of businesses providing gambling services, the net takings from gambling has increased by 41% since 1994-95 to $11,067 million. This increase represented a growth rate of 12% per annum over the period.

Poker/gaming machines were the major source of net takings from gambling in 1997-98, accounting for $6,371 million (an increase of 61% since 1994-95), which represents an increase of 17% per annum over the three-year period. Poker/gaming machines accounted for 58% of total net takings from gambling in 1997-98 compared with 51% in 1994-95. While the net takings from poker/gaming machines for 1997-98 was highest in clubs ($3,432 million), the greatest increase in poker/gaming machine net takings since 1994-95 has occurred in casinos (104% increase) and pubs, taverns and bars (126% increase). The latter reflected the changed legislation in some States in respect of the operation of poker/gaming
machines at clubs, pubs, taverns and bars.


The other major sources of net takings from gambling were:

    • $1,603 million net takings from lotteries, lotto style games, football pools, instant money sales and club keno. While these 1997-98 net takings have increased by 19% since 1994-95, their contribution to total net takings from gambling has decreased from 17% in 1994-95 to 15% in 1997-98.
    • $1,559 million net takings from on-course totalisator sales and off-course TAB sales. The net takings from this source have increased by 7% since 1994-95 but the proportion of the total net takings from gambling has decreased from 19% in 1994-95 to 14% in 1997-98.
      • $1,432 million net takings from casino table games. These net takings have increased by 41% since 1994-95 and their contribution to total net takings from gambling has remained the same at 13%.
    TABLE 1: NET TAKINGS FROM GAMBLING, BY TYPE OF GAMBLING AND VENUE


    Net takings from gambling

    1994-95
    1997-98

    Type of gambling and venue
    $m
    %
    $m
    %

    Poker/gaming machines
    Clubs
    r2 621.0
    33.4
    3 431.8
    31.0
    Pubs, taverns and bars
    r990.3
    12.6
    2 239.1
    20.2
    Casinos
    343.6
    4.4
    700.1
    6.3
    Total
    r3 954.9
    50.5
    6371.1
    57.6
    On-course totalisator and off-course TAB
    r1456.8
    18.6
    1 559.1
    14.1
    On-course and off-course bookmakers
    44.2
    0.6
    69.0
    0.6
    Lotteries, lotto style games, football pools, instant money and club keno
    1 344.6
    17.2
    1 602.6
    14.5
    Casino keno
    25.5
    0.3
    33.4
    0.3
    Casino gaming tables
    1 012.7
    12.9
    1 431.6
    12.9
    Total
    r7 838.7
    100.0
    11 066.8
    100.0


    r revised