Special Article - Gambling in South Australia
Article reproduced from South Australian Year Book, 1997 (ABS Catalogue No. 1301.4).
Legal gambling in South Australia is regulated by the Lottery and Gaming Act, the Gaming Machines Act, the Liquor Licensing Act, the Racing Act, the State Lotteries Act and the Casino Act.
At 30 June 1995 there were 682 Lotteries Commission agents operating (mainly from shops and hotels) and total sales of the Commission for the year were $248.3 million.
Deregulation of non-profit sector lotteries from 28 February 1994 resulted in the abolition of the minor licence category (prizes under $500) except for instant ticket lotteries. It is therefore not possible to compare 1994–95 with previous years, except for major lotteries (prizes of over $500). These fell from 851 in 1992–93 to 502 in 1994–95, a fall attributed largely to the introduction of poker (gaming) machines in July 1994.
At 30 June 1995 there were 58 bookmakers and 572 clerks and agents licensed with the Bookmakers Licensing Board operating on- and off-course betting on horse racing, harness racing, greyhound racing, foot running and approved sporting events.
Totalisator betting takes place through the Totalizator Agency Board (TAB) and on-course totalisators licensed by racing clubs. Off-course betting was provided on galloping, harness racing and greyhound meetings. In addition, betting was provided on Australian Rules Football and the Australian Formula One Grand Prix.
The Adelaide Casino, opened in December 1985, is part of the Adelaide Railway Station redevelopment (ASER) and the three levels of the Casino include 89 gaming tables.
In 1991 the Casino was authorised to operate video gaming machines and, in 1993, to operate spinning reel machines (poker machines). A total of 674 machines are installed in a refurbished area.
The licence for the Adelaide Casino is held by the Lotteries Commission which appointed Aitco Pty Ltd to establish and operate a casino on its behalf. The moneys received by the Commission from the Casino operator, representing unclaimed prizes, licence fees, 13.75% of net gaming revenue from tables, and 4.0% of turnover from machines, are paid in the proportions of 1.0% to the Housing Improvement Fund with the balance to the Consolidated Account. There is a further tax of 0.2% which is allocated to the Gamblers’ Rehabilitation Fund. In the year ending 30 June 1995 the amount paid to the Government was $20.20 million.
Poker (gaming) machines were introduced into hotels on 25 July 1994 when 662 machines came on-line at 28 venues. There are now approximately 8,900 machines in over 400 venues. They are monitored by the Independent Gaming Corporation and regulated by the Liquor Licensing Commission (Gaming Division).
The Australian Gaming Statistics Report 1994-95 showed that turnover from poker (gaming) machines is higher than the total of all other forms of gambling combined, with a turnover of $1,500 million. By May 1996, the turnover for 1995-96 was over $2,100 million, with a record monthly turnover of $227 million in April. This has had a negative impact on all other forms of gambling.
The State Government created a Gamblers’ Rehabilitation Fund from its increased revenues of gambling tax, and from special levies on poker machine operators, to counter the effects of addiction to poker machines.
The following table shows turnover for the last three years for these forms of legal gambling in South Australia.
LEGAL GAMBLING TURNOVER |
|
|
 | Turnover |
|
|
| 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 |
|
| $m | $m | $m |
|
|
| | | |
|
| 503.2 | 526.9 | 513.3 |
|
| 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.1 |
|
| 505.0 | 528.7 | 515.4 |
| | | |
|
| 56.1 | 60.7 | 57.1 |
| | | |
|
| | | |
|
| 97.9 | 143.0 | 129.4 |
|
| 6.0 | 5.0 | 4.6 |
|
| 103.9 | 148.0 | 134.0 |
| | | |
|
| | | |
|
| - | 5.5 | 15.3 |
|
| 44.2 | 35.4 | 27.4 |
|
| 100.0 | 101.0 | 100.2 |
|
| 32.2 | 30.5 | 22.6 |
|
| 5.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 |
|
| 1.3 | 2.1 | 0.8 |
|
| 1.3 | 2.1 | 0.8 |
|
| 56.8 | 69.7 | 64.1 |
|
| 16.3 | 16.1 | 13.9 |
Total Lotteries Commission
| 256.3 | 264.8 | 248.3 |
| | | |
Lottery and Gaming Section
| 93.2 | 101.0 | (a)47.1 |
|
| n.a. | n.a. | 1,487.6 |
|
| 457.0 | 457.0 | 319.7 |
| | | |
|
| 1,471.5 | 1,560.2 | 2,809.2 |
|
(a) This figure includes only turnover from licensed non-profit sector lotteries.
Source: South Australian Year Book 1997, ABS Catalogue No. 1301.4
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