A number of myths, superstitions and false beliefs have grown up around gaming machines.

The GTA would like to give you some facts about gaming machines.

Australia has 2.4% of the world’s gaming machines, according to a survey completed in February 2008 by Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS).

TNS estimated the total worldwide installed base of gaming machines at 7,981,099 machines. This figure is understated to the extent that an unknown number of unregistered (and therefore, uncounted) gaming machines are operated in jurisdictions where gaming is not subject to the strict legislative and regulatory controls evident in countries such as Australia. Accordingly, the actual number of gaming machines operated in Australia is less than 2.4% of all gaming machines in all countries. The research report is available here.

Some commentators analyse the density of gaming machines related to resident population. It is noteworthy that gaming machines have been operated long-term (ie: 50 years or more) in two jurisdictions in Western countries – being New South Wales in Australia and Nevada in the United States. According to recent estimates New South Wales has 100,308 gaming machines and 6,731,295 residents; and Nevada has 202,333 gaming machines and 2,495,529 residents.

Therefore the number of gaming machines per 1,000 residents in New South Wales is less than 15 against more than 81 in Nevada.

Australia has the world's slowest gaming machines.

All machines in Australia and New Zealand have a reel spin of about 3 seconds.   During the reel spin, the player is not able to interrupt the machine. Everywhere else in the world, the player can interrupt the reel spin by re-pressing the PLAY button – which shortens the reel spin to potentially less than one-tenth of a second.

There is evidence that bank note acceptors are not associated with problem gambling.

The use of bill acceptors in gaming machines does not appear to be reliably associated with problem gambling status, severity of problem gambling, amount of money lost, or persistence of play, according to The University of Sydney Gambling Research Unit in its “Assessment of the Impact of the Reconfiguration on Electronic Gaming Machines as Harm Minimisation Strategies for Problem Gambling” of November 2001. Click here for a copy of the research report.

Regulation of Australia’s poker machine industry is regarded as the toughest in the world.

All machines in Australia operate subject to state (or territory) legislation and regulation, in addition to the Australian/New Zealand Gaming Machine National Standard which was developed by participants from all gaming regulators in Australia and New Zealand. Gaming machines in Australia and New Zealand are manufactured to exacting technical, electrical and related standards. On delivery they are certified against electrical and physical safety standards AS/NZS 60950.1:2003 or an equivalent international standard, along with a range of Electromagnetic Interference / Electromagnetic Compatibility and Electro-Static Discharge requirements to ensure compliance with both radiated and conducted emissions standards, plus immunity to a variety of disruptive conditions including electrostatic interference.