Online Pokies Blog

Spending on pokie machines in Shepparton clubs and hotels has dropped in the last financial year, but the figure has been on the rise throughout the last decade.

Data released by the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation on Friday indicated the amount spent on the machines in Greater Shepparton had dropped from $30.8 million in the financial year from 2008-2009 to $29.2 million in 2009-2010.

But figures also show the amount lost on pokies in the financial year from 1999 to 2000 was $23.9 million, meaning the spending in the last decade has increased by 26 per cent.

Charles Fey developed the first slot machine in the Unites States. Liberty Bell was the simplistic game created which was an instant hit. In Australia, the first machines appeared in the early 1900’s and whilst they were illegal, were still very popular.

There are really no documents of where the term originated from. Like most jargon it most probably came from the gamers shortening poker machines phrases such as “I’m down at the pub having a spin on the pokies”

Police say they found the woman’s unlocked car on a street in Parramatta after receiving a call at 11.45pm yesterday from a concerned member of the public.

Her three children, aged six months, two years and four years, were discovered alone the car.

The mother returned to her car 15 minutes later and was arrested by police.

The 37-year-old woman had been playing pokies at Parramatta Leagues Club for almost two hours, police said.

The woman, a Swedish national, was charged with six child neglect offences and granted strict conditional bail.

She is due to appear at Parramatta Local Court on December 3.

The children are now in the care of the NSW Department of Community Services.

Latest government figures show Tauranga residents poured $6,637,990 into the city’s gaming ‘pokie’ machines between January 1 and March 31.
This is less than in the October 1 to December 31 quarter when more than $7 million was spent in Tauranga gaming machines.

There are dire predictions for the Hunter Valley’s licensed club sector, with many venues struggling to survive.

The club industry says it has already been hit by smoking bans and poker machine taxes.

Now it is concerned about proposed changes to ATM cash withdrawal limits and poker machine betting levels.

Hunter State Councillor of Clubs New South Wales, John Chin, says there are nervous times ahead.

“It’s pretty tough going for a lot of clubs,” he said.

“I’m not saying clubs are bankrupting or anything like that but certainly most of the clubs are just hanging in there.

“The attendances are still good but unfortunately due to the economic circumstances the spend is way down.”

A new tax threshold that was announced recently in NSW was a breath of fresh air for smaller operators. Pokies over $200,000 will only need to be taxed on the revenue generated.

The new threshold is expected to result in 60% of NSW hotels and pubs paying less tax or in many cases no tax at all.  The news has been welcomed by the NSW hotelier industry, particularly the smaller operators, many of whom have been under considerable financial pressure following the smoking ban and the consequent disruption in their trade.

However, the State government has been quick to point out that tax payers won’t be responsible for the financial burden of this new measure.  Although the tax threshold has been raised, higher taxes for the more profitable venues will more than make up for any tax shortfall. 

So called ’super club’ pokies venue can expect to be hit hard, and will be faced with a new marginal tax rate of 50% on earnings above $5 million.
The new tax rates come into effect on July 1.

LADY Luck played a cruel trick on a gambler in Colorado when a slot machine had her thinking she’d won $US42 million.

“People were coming up to me and saying I won $42 million,” Louise Chavez told KDRV FOX31.

“Lights were flashing, it sounded like a fire truck, the screen said ’see attendant’.”

But the staff at the Fortune Valley Casino said the machine malfunctioned and Ms Chavez wasn’t a winner at all.

Ms Chavez did get a complimentary room, free breakfast and the $23 that she originally gambled.

She said she will continue to push for that big jackpot.

“I played the game, I put my money into the machine, whether it’s $42 million, $42,000 or $4000, I should get what the machine said,” Ms Chavez said.

According to reports, the Division of Gaming will look for forensic information in the machine’s software and there is a possibility that Ms Chavez could still win some money.

Three bandits carrying weapons including a machete ordered poker machine users onto the floor of a gaming venue in Melbourne’s north, before stealing a large quantity of cash, police say.

Armed crime taskforce detectives said the masked thieves entered the gaming area of pokies venue in Sunset Boulevard, Jacana, near Broadmeadows, carrying a gun and a machete.

Patrons and staff inside the club were told to lay on the floor while the robbers grabbed large amount of cash and left on foot.

Police said no shots were fired and no staff members or patrons were injured in the attack.

A police helicopter and the dog squad was called in to search the area surrounding the club but failed to locate the robbers.