Australian locals up the ante for casinos
Locals up the ante for casinos Profits from the nation's 13 casinos have risen above $3 billion for the first time, and Australians are making up for a drop in international visitors. Operating profits increased by $537 million in 2000-01, up 19 per cent on the previous year, with gambling contributing $2.5 billion of an overall $3.14 billion net profit, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported yesterday. Gaming tables took $1.5 billion (up 2 per cent), followed by poker and gaming machines at $1 billion (up 9 per cent), and Keno, at $19 million (down 11 per cent). This represented a loss of $71 for every adult Australian on poker and gaming machines, and $59 per head for gaming tables. Australia's casinos now house 10,853 gaming machines, an increase of 28 machines on the previous year. The number of gaming tables declined by 8 per cent, from 1119 in 2000. Peter Grimshaw, of Sydney's Star City, said...