Data provided at last weekend's Australasian Gaming Expo in Sydney, Australia, showed that leisure spending on gambling is lower than other forms of leisure and entertainment, including alcohol, cigarettes and take-away food.
The average percentage of total household discretionary spend on gambing was just 0.6 per cent of total income, compared with meals eaten outside the home, including fast food at 4.7 per cent.
Chief executive of the Gaming Technologies Association, Ross Ferrar, said: "Playing poker machines, which makes up 39 per cent of the gambling dollars spent, is a popular leisure activity undertaken by many people who have a higher level of discretionary expenditure.
"Australians spend $12 a week playing poker machines. We are delighted that people are finding great enjoyment in playing poker and the industry is working hard to create even more entertaining games for them."
