This week Liquor & Gaming NSW released its latest gaming machine data and as expected, the figures showed significant decreases in gaming machine profits.
When compared to the previous six months, net profit decreased by 41 per cent for hotels and 40 per cent for clubs. The total number of operating gaming machines fell by 870.
The data covers gaming machine activity from 1 December 2019 to 31 May 2020 for clubs, and 1 January 2020 to 30 June 2020 for hotels.
Restrictions placed on venues due to COVID-19 included a ten week closure of all gaming venues from 23 March to 31 May.
Net profit is defined by Liquor & Gaming NSW as the combined profit from gaming machines for all venues within a local government area (LGA).
Liquor and Gaming NSW’s website stipulates that net profit: “is not exactly the same as player losses because some larger jackpots are ‘pooled’ when machines are linked across multiple venues and LGAs. The data has included LGA based yearly statistics for the number of gaming machines and the total value of bets on gaming machines.”
