'Since 20 when the pubs sector was really struggling, there have been big improvements in certainty surrounding regulatory reform with respect to poker machine entitlements, and that confidence has an impact on prices,' Mr Kelly said. There are also signs that punter spending remains strong in the sector, as evidenced through revenues from gaming machines collected by the NSW Office of State Revenues, which are on the rise. Pub operators and owners of poker machine licences have greater clarity on the earning capacity of slot machines following the Abbott government's decision in 2013 to scrap proposed measures to curb problem gambling including mandatory pre-commitment on machines and caps on cash withdrawals.Ī scarcity of licences coming up for sale has heightened demand for the machines. Gaming machine licences for pubs in New South Wales are selling for around $320,000 for a group of three licences, up from about $220,000 this time last year, according to Ferrier Hodgson pubs specialist Morgan Kelly.
Pokies are changing hands at their highest prices in six years as pub operators take advantage of greater regulatory certainty and robust discretionary spending in pubs.
