8684.0 - Gambling Services, Australia , 2004-05  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/09/2006   
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NOTES


INTRODUCTION

This publication presents a range of statistics in respect of businesses engaged in the provision of gambling services for the 2004-05 financial year. Previous releases of this publication were in respect of the 1994-95, 1997-98 and 2000-01 financial years.



CHANGES TO THIS PUBLICATION

This publication combines the results of the Casinos and Gambling Services collections for the first time. Casinos results were previously published in catalogue no. 8683.0.



COMPARISONS WITH PREVIOUS SURVEY RESULTS

While comparisons are made between the 2004-05 and 2000-01 estimates, it should be noted that the data are based on business surveys which were not designed to provide highly accurate estimates of change, so any comparison made to the 2000-01 data should be used with caution. For further information, see paragraphs 21-22 of the Explanatory Notes.



MORE INFORMATION ON ABS SERVICE INDUSTRIES STATISTICS

Information about ABS activities in the field of service industries is available from the Service Industries Statistics theme page on the ABS web site <www.abs.gov.au>. To access the theme page, select 'Themes' from the menu on the home page.



COMMENTS

The ABS welcomes comments and suggestions from users regarding future surveys of Service Industries. These comments should be addressed to the Director, Service Industries National Statistics Centre, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Locked Bag 10, Belconnen, ACT 2616.



ROUNDING

Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between the sum of the component items and the total.



INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Sophie Vassiliou on Melbourne (03) 9615 7442.



SUMMARY COMMENTARY


CHAPTER 1 OVERVIEW

This publication presents data in respect of 2004-05 on the activities of businesses involved in the provision of gambling services. It also provides detailed measures of the performance, structure and activity of businesses whose primary activity is the provision of gambling services. It includes aspects such as: the net takings from gambling, the composition of other income earned, details of expenses incurred and the structure of the workforce. A state and territory dimension is also presented.


Data in this publication have been drawn from a number of ABS surveys conducted in respect of 2004-05. These surveys covered businesses classified to the following classes of the 1993 edition of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC):

  • 5720 Pubs, Taverns and Bars
  • 5740 Clubs (Hospitality)
  • 9311 Horse and Dog Racing
  • 9312 Sports Grounds and Facilities n.e.c.
  • 9319 Sports and Services to Sports n.e.c.
  • 9321 Lotteries
  • 9322 Casinos
  • 9329 Gambling Services n.e.c.

For the purposes of this publication, data are presented for businesses which derived part of their income from the provision of gambling services (i.e. in the form of gambling takings or commissions). While the ANZSIC classification specifies gambling as the primary activity of businesses classified to Classes 9321 Lotteries, 9322 Casinos and 9329 Gambling Services n.e.c., the provision of gambling services in many other types of businesses requires a wider view.


This publication presents two different statistical views of gambling. Chapter 2 presents activity data on businesses which derived part of their income from the provision of gambling services, where these businesses were classified to any of the eight ANZSIC classes listed above. Chapters 3 and 4 present data on businesses whose primary activity was the provision of gambling services. Chapter 3 presents results from a census of Australian casino businesses and Chapter 4 presents detailed information on income, expenses and employment of businesses mainly involved in the provision of lottery and other gambling services such as bookmaking and totalisator services.


CHAPTER 2 GAMBLING ACTIVITY


SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

This chapter presents estimates of a range of indicators highlighting the significance to the Australian economy of businesses involved in the provision of gambling services (regardless of the main activity of the business).


At the end of June 2005, there were 5,370 businesses in Australia involved in the provision of gambling services. A large proportion of these businesses (77.8%) were hospitality clubs and pubs, taverns and bars.



NET TAKINGS FROM GAMBLING

The total net takings from gambling during 2004-05 was $15,459.7m. The major source of net takings from gambling was from poker/gaming machines in hospitality and sporting clubs and pubs, taverns and bars ($8,700.2m), which represented 56.3% of the total net takings from gambling. Other major sources of net takings included casino gambling of $2,582.2m (16.7%), off-course TAB takings of $2,068.6m (13.4%) and lotteries, lotto style games and football pools of $1,441.5m (9.3%).


Based on the Australian estimated resident adult population at the end of June 2005, the $15,459.7m net takings from gambling represented an expenditure of $996 per head of adult population for 2004-05.



STATE AND TERRITORIES

Net takings from gambling for businesses operating in New South Wales ($6,195m) and Victoria ($4,383.2m) represented 68.4% of the total net takings from gambling. The New South Wales and Victorian contributions to total net takings from gambling were 40.1% and 28.4% respectively which was higher than their respective proportions of the Australian estimated resident adult population of 33.4% and 24.9%.


By contrast, the state proportions from net takings from gambling by businesses operating in Queensland (16.5%), South Australia (5.6%) and Western Australia (4.8%) were below their respective state's proportion of the Australian adult population of 19.3%, 7.7% and 9.8%. However, it should be noted that poker/gaming machines are the largest contributor to net takings from gambling and in Western Australia there are no poker/gaming machines outside the casino.


Compared to the Australian average, three states and territories had higher than average net takings per head of adult population: New South Wales ($1,196 per adult), Victoria ($1,134 per adult) and the Northern Territory ($1,250 per adult).


In contrast, Queensland ($853 per adult), Tasmania ($821 per adult), South Australia ($725 per adult) and Western Australia ($490 per adult) were below the Australian average. The Australian Capital Territory ($943 per adult) was marginally below the Australian average.



GAMBLING/GAMING TAXES AND LEVIES

Revenue paid to government in gambling/gaming taxes and levies was $5,633m in 2004-05. This total comprised state gambling taxes, state levies and the goods and services tax (GST) on net gambling takings. This total represented 36.4% of the net takings from gambling. The largest source of gambling/gaming taxes and levies was poker/gaming machines in clubs, pubs, taverns and bars, which accounted for 55.5% of total gambling/gaming taxes and levies. Other major sources of gambling/gaming taxes and levies were lotteries, lotto style games and football pools (17.2%), Totalizator Agency Board (TAB) or totalisator betting (12.4%), and casinos (11.1%).



NUMBER OF POKER/GAMING MACHINES

At the end of June 2005, there were 199,930 poker/gaming machines for which licences had been issued. The majority of these poker/gaming machines were licensed to hospitality and sporting clubs (58.4%) and pubs, taverns and bars (35.6%). During 2004-05 the average net takings per poker/gaming machine in clubs, pubs, taverns and bars was $46,300.



EMPLOYMENT

At the end of June 2005, there were 76,848 persons employed in the provision of gambling services. The majority (59.5%, or 45,737 persons) was employed in hospitality clubs and pubs, taverns and bars.



HISTORICAL COMPARISONS

Comparisons with results from earlier collections are useful as an indication of the extent of change over time. However, the 2004-05 collections were not designed to provide highly accurate estimates of change, so any comparisons with results from previous collections should be made with caution. Further information can be found in paragraphs 21-22 of the Explanatory Notes.


Taking into consideration these limitations, the 2004-05 collections' results indicate that gambling services provided by Australian businesses experienced growth between 2000-01 and 2004-05.


Net takings from gambling increased, on average, by 2.9% per year since 2000-01 (from $13,797.6m to $15,459.7m) with gambling takings received online increasing by an average 11.8% per year (from $73.1m to $114.3m). Gambling taxes and levies increased, on average, by 6.2% per year since 2000-01 (from $4,427.9m to $5,633m).

GAMBLING ACTIVITY, Net takings from gambling by type of gambling and venue

2000-01
2004-05
Net takings
Proportion of total net takings
Net takings
Proportion of total net takings
Average annual percentage change 2000-01 to 2004-05(a)
$m
%
$m
%
%

Poker/gaming machines in clubs, pubs, taverns and bars
7 690.9
55.7
8 700.2
56.3
3.1
On-course totalisator
102.9
0.7
97.3
0.6
-1.4
Off-course TAB
Thoroughbred, harness and greyhound betting
1 654.1
12.0
1 972.4
12.8
4.5
Other
37.4
0.3
96.2
0.6
26.6
Total
1 691.5
12.3
2 068.6
13.4
5.2
Thoroughbred, harness and greyhound betting bookmakers
43.7
0.3
70.8
0.5
12.8
Lotteries and lotto style games
Lotteries, lotto style games and football pools
1 342.4
9.7
1 441.5
9.3
1.8
Instant money
202.4
1.5
228.8
1.5
3.1
Keno in clubs, pubs, taverns and bars
181.3
1.3
219.4
1.4
4.9
Total
1 726.1
12.5
1 889.7
12.2
2.3
Casino gambling(b)
2 503.5
18.1
2 582.2
16.7
0.8
Other gambling(c)
39.0
0.3
50.7
0.3
6.8
Total
13 797.6
100.0
15 459.7
100.0
2.9
Gambling takings received online
r73.1
r0.5
114.3
0.7
11.8

r revised
(a) For employing businesses only in 2000-01 and the aggregate of employing and non-employing businesses in 2004-05.
(b) Includes net takings from poker/gaming machines in casinos, casino gaming tables and casino Keno.
(c) Includes bookmakers' takings other than on thoroughbred, harness and greyhound betting and casino games via the Internet.