The more than 40,000 electronic gaming machines like slots and VLTs, in the Australian state of Queensland saw their aggregated revenues for July increase by more than 7.1% year-on-year to top $216 million.

Home to approximately 5.5 million people, Queensland allows a collection of 1,031 clubs, casino destinations, and hotels to each host up to 300 electronic gaming machines colloquially referred to locally as ‘pokies’. 

Overseen by the state’s Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation watchdog under the Gaming Machine Act 1991, these units offer five-reel slot-style entertainment and are required to return between 85% and 92% of historical turnover to players. 

The government of Queensland revealed the July aggregated electronic gaming machine revenues tally was the highest of the year to date and sat almost 13% above the previous month’s reckoning of slightly over $188 million. Official information shows the most recent figure also represented a boost of 10.3% when compared with the around $193.4 million seen for May while being 18.6% above February’s calendar low of about $175.5 million.

Exacting Environment

The recent swell in aggregated gaming machine revenues came despite the fact Queensland hosted 85 fewer machines at six fewer sites last month than during the same 31-day period in 2023. Nevertheless, the 685 hotels in the state with ‘pokies’ saw their combined July tally grow by 8.9% year-on-year to $125.4 million, while the figure from its 346 clubs with units was 5.9% higher at almost $90.7 million. 

The improved performance of electronic gaming machines in Queensland follows the June implementation of new rules that ban players from using credit cards to gamble. 

This prohibition, which was ratified in November as part of the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Credit and Other Measures) Bill 2023, was introduced by the government of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as part of a concerted campaign to address financial risks and promote responsible gambling.

In an official statement, the Communications Minister for Australia, Michelle Rowland, asserted this ban was introduced so as to keep players from ‘gambling with money they do not have’. The 52-year-old Labor Party politician went on to declare the move is destined to benefit ‘thousands of vulnerable Australians’ and builds on the Albanese-led government’s 'significant progress’ in minimizing gambling harms.

“Last year, the Albanese Labor Government committed to banning credit cards for online wagering and we’ve delivered,” Rowland said. “Our commitment to ensuring that gambling takes place within a robust legislative framework with strong consumer protections remains steadfast and we will have more to announce in due course.”

Promotion Propositions

However, the Albanese government has furthermore recently come under fire after reportedly backing away from popular plans to implement a prohibition on online gambling advertisement. The 61-year-old’s administration is instead said to be considering a compromise that would see television and radio commercials for such services limited to two spots per hour from 6am to 10pm. 

Such an alteration would likely join other proposed changes encompassing a total ban on the advertising of online gambling across social media and other digital platforms as well as an embargo on the broadcast of iGaming ads and odds commentary across radio and television an hour either side of a sports broadcast.