Vic: Gaming revenue fall will turnaround, Bracks

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Vic: Gaming revenue fall will turnaround, Bracks

By Ben Packham, State Political Correspondent

MELBOURNE, Aug 8 AAP - Gaming revenue was expected to increase again in Victoria asplayers got used to new smoking bans, Premier Steve Bracks said today.

New figures show an unprecedented fall in poker machine spending in Victoria last year- with player losses down 8.9 per cent to $2.33 billion.

Mr Bracks said a drop in gaming taxes had been anticipated as a result of the government'sgaming reforms.

But he said experience from overseas suggested poker machine spending would recoverin future years.

"We've already predicted there would be an easing off in gaming revenue because ofthe measures we've taken and that's been factored into the budget," he told reporters.

"We've also estimated that there will be a slight increase into the future as therewill be a correction from smoking (bans)."

The state budget papers forecast $826 million in gaming revenue in 2002-03, down from$894 million the previous year.

But that figure is expected to increase to $895 million this financial year.

Opposition Treasury spokesman Robert Clark said it was clear smoking bans had reducedgaming rates.

But he said there was no evidence that problem gamblers were giving up the habit.

"The question is, is that (fall in poker machine expenditure) coming from savings byproblem gamblers, or is it simply the recreational gamblers choosing to give up gamblingrather than smoking?" he said.

AAP bp/ag/was

KEYWORD: GAMING VIC NIGHTLEAD