Australia’s Scourge Pokie Addiction in Australia

Poker Machines Poker machines were imported to Australia approximately a century ago In 1956, New South Wales became the first state to permit the use of pokies in registered clubs In 1956, New South Wales became the first state to permit the use of pokies in registered clubs In 1978, Australian made machines were the first to use computer technology The key to poker machine’s ‘success’ is in their style, design and sounds

Poker Machines The chance of success is predictable Poker machines will not become ‘due’ because of past events, such as near misses or a long period without a substantial payout On each machine there are 5 reels and 35 possible stops per reel There are possible stop combinations Generally, the jackpot is assigned to just 1 final combination

The Facts Australians spent more than $19 billion on gambling in ; around $12 billion of which was spent playing the pokies One in six people who play the pokies regularly has a serious addiction. Young people (18-24 year olds) spend more on poker machines than any other age group Many adult problem gamblers report having developed gambling problems during their teenage years Up to 500,000 Australians are at risk of becoming, or are, problem gamblers.

Problem Gambling Problem gamblers lose around $21,000 each year. That’s one third of the average Australian salary Three-quarters of problem gamblers have problems with poker machines. It’s even higher for women – in 9 out of 10 cases poker machines are identified as the cause of problems for women 600,000 people hit the pokies weekly, around 40% of them considered hooked, or at risk of addiction The social cost to the community of problem gambling is estimated to be at least $4.7 billion a year.

Impact of Problem Gambling Problem gamblers are six times more likely to be divorced than non problem gamblers Problem gamblers are four times more likely to have problems with alcohol and four times as likely to smoke daily than non problem gamblers Children with parents who are problem gamblers are up to 10 times more likely to become problem gamblers themselves than children with non gambling parents THE lethal toll of Victorians' gambling obsession has been revealed with 128 people, including teenagers, taking their own lives in the past decade after losing their battle with the addiction Only around 15 per cent of problem gamblers seek help.

Impact of Problem Gambling Relationship breakdown Domestic violence Neglect Public expense Impact on charity Crime Absenteeism Job loss Poor performance Debt Asset loss Bankruptcy FinancialWork & Study Interpersonal Community Services

Reasons for Pokie Addiction Convenience of ATMs Prevalence of pokie machines Sensory Stimulation Dopamine Speed of play Bound rounds Significant jackpots Lack of skill required

Signs of Addiction You spend time on pokies rather than with friends and family You lie about going to the pokies You withdraw additional funds to cover losses Gaming sessions last for hours at a time Money meant to pay bills is used for pokies When not playing pokies, you are thinking about playing the pokies

Case Study – Nathan Hindmarsh Hindmarsh lost more than $ on poker machines in a 6 year battle It all began with one small, “stupid” payout Then progressed to $50 at a time, increasing as his salary did Temptation was everywhere At its peak, Nathan lost $1000 a night approximately four nights a week

Case Study – Nathan Hindmarsh The impact was significant, especially during training Constantly thinking, ‘What have I done?’ Became very disorganized because so much time was spent playing the pokies Friends could see the pain in his face, dubbing it a ‘gambling hangover’

Nick Xenophon’s Crusade The problem, as Senator Nick Xenophon claims, with State governments is that they are hooked on the $4billion a year they rake in pokies taxes. The independent Productivity Commission recommended in 2010 for $1 maximum bets per spin and $120 in hourly losses -- compared to the $10 bet per spin and $1200 per hour in losses that can happen now. "Over 80% of Australians support pokies being made safer - why won't the major parties?" Senator Nick Xenophon was elected to state parliament on an anti-poker machine in 1997 and the Federal Senate in 2007

Considerations for Educators One in five adults with gambling problems started gambling before they were 18 Three to four per cent of teenagers have problems with gambling. That’s one in every high school class of 25 students Teenagers are four times more likely to develop gambling problems than adults Boys are more likely to gamble and develop problems than girls