No, it’s not about O’Reilly running a pool over who gets shanked next. Rather, this post concerns Australian wagering habits. They apparently gamble a lot. From The Age:
Australia’s passion for a punt continues to grow, with new figures showing a record $128.3 billion – $8,571 per adult – was wagered last financial year.Australians lost more than $15.3 billion – an average of $1,026 per person aged 18 or over – as they pumped money into poker machines, casino games and state and territory coffers.
This equates to 3.41 per cent of the average household disposable income.
The previous year, Australians wagered about $125 billion, losing more than $15 billion – $1,016 per adult.
The figures were released by the Tasmanian Gaming Commission, which compiles the national report from data provided by all states and territories.
Northern Territorians were the biggest losers per capita, wasting an average $1,806 each on the pokies, horses, casinos, lotteries and other forms of gambling.
NSW punters followed to the tune of $1,248, while Victorians lost $1,133.
In the ACT, the average loss was $1,070, in Queensland $882, South Australia $754, and Tasmania $759.
West Australians – who have pokies in Perth’s Burswood Casino but not in pubs and clubs – fared best, losing just $460.
Of the total amount of money wagered, most was pumped into gaming machines, where more than $90 billion was spend nationwide – up almost six per cent on the previous year.
Casinos received an injection of more than $17 billion, representing a decrease of 1.4 per cent, while the TAB enjoyed a 4.5 per cent surge to a national turnover of $11.3 billion.
Government revenue from gambling topped $3.9 billion in 2002-03, a rise of about $150 million from the previous year
Even keeping in mind exchange rates (the Australian dollar is worth considerably less than its American counterpart), Australians gamble quite significantly. Anyone from down under care to comment?
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