Charity Gaming Association (Inc): Charity funds down despite minor seasonal adjustment

Communities will continue to be buffeted by the decline in funding available from operators of gaming machines in hotels and other public venues the Chairman of the Charity Gaming Association, Hon Paul East, said today.

New DIA figures show that revenue from gaming machines in pubs and other public venues is down 5.7% ($46 million) for the year ending 30 June 2009 compared with the previous year. (Note: This does not include the impact on clubs).

That translates to at least $16 million less in grants going to community activities and a similar amount of reduction in the tax taken by the government.

The seasonal trend has been for gaming machine gambling to drop off significantly in the March quarter followed by minor improvements in the June and October quarters peaking in December. This year has been no different.

The June quarter was up 3.6% on March which had shown a 9.39% decrease on December.

Each quarters revenue in the last financial year has been significantly below that experienced the previous year.

Combined with the compulsory investment of more than $60 million in questionably effective player information displays this means the community has missed out big time at the same time as community groups are already suffering because of the impact of a stressed economy.

It is apparent the impact is being felt more acutely in communities outside the main urban areas where the high cost of compliance with government regulations has made operations in those areas very marginal. Sadly it seems to be the policy of the DIA to drive gambling on gaming machines into high turnover sites in the main cities, concluded Mr East.

ENDS

© Scoop Media