Advanced Forum Search -- Advanced Casino Search

Punters lose $2.5bn to pokie addiction
Message was posted: 12:52 Jul 17th, 2006

User: AussieAussieAussie Rank: Casino Gold: 2727CG Contributor rating: 5680 Status: Offline

Gambling news from http://www.news.com.au/ VICTORIA'S addiction to poker machines is out of control with punters losing almost $2.5 billion in the past financial year. And five pokies crisis spots have emerged, with players in the cities of Monash, Greater Dandenong, Brimbank, Casey and Greater Geelong each recording losses of more than $100 million. A further 18 council areas recorded losses of more than $50 million each. The alarming figures are based on Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation data that reveal dramatic increases in player losses in Brimbank, Hobson's Bay, Hume, Monash, Stonnington and Ararat/Southern Grampians. Anti-gambling groups are warning that Victoria is facing a new generation of problem gamblers, aged 18-25. They blame the State Government for reneging on a 2002 election promise to introduce a school program to help tackle gambling. In that year, Premier Steve Bracks announced plans for pokies reforms to rein in the number of problem gamblers. "Labor will develop a school program and curriculum to educate children about problem gambling and the risks associated with gambling," Mr Bracks said. But no such action has been taken, prompting Interchurch Gambling Taskforce chairman Mark Zirnsak to hit out. There was growing evidence that young people were becoming addicted to gambling and not enough was being done to teach them the pitfalls, Dr Zirnsak said. "It's pathetic that the Government is collecting $1 billion a year from poker machines and spending a paltry amount ($20 million) on problem gambling," he said. Last financial year pokies punters lost a massive $2.39 billion with the State Government claiming $1 billion in taxes. This year that figure could balloon to almost $2.5 billion -- the biggest losses since smoking bans were introduced in 2002 and just short of the $2.56 billion record. Research shows that 43 per cent of the losses came from 2-3 per cent of players who were problem gamblers.