Addicted to pokies

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Addicted to pokies

3News NZ

What is it about the pokies that's so addictive?

What is it about the pokies that's so addictive?

In the past 12 months, $853 million has been fed into slot machines in this country.

It's estimated that roughly half of that money was spent by problem gamblers.

While the vast majority of us never play pokies at all, or do so occasionally for fun, problem gamblers turn to the pokies way more often than all other forms of gambling combined.

Lotto, the TAB, table games in casinos, none of them come close in terms of their impact on problem gamblers.

Why?

What is it about the pokies that's so addictive for people with gambling problems?

Campbell Live got a rare, brave and revealing insight from a woman who was the first person in New Zealand to self ban herself from gaming.

Brenda told her story to Anna Burns Francis.

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Comments

3/09/2012 5:21:45 p.m.

Mike wrote:

$926 mil was spent on lotto/instant kiwi, daily keno - ie more than the pokies figure of $853 mil. And all that can be done at your local lotto shop!

The claim that gambling isnt a problem with lotto etc is wrong, just that they dont have the same over spend as really bad problem gamblers, and many of the problem gamblers started losing money on lotto/instant kiwi/daily keno.

That amounts to $210 per man/woman/child and its a waste.

We have't included likes of TAB either. If your a problem gambler, you will find something to throw your money away on.

If take a typical home with 4 people in it, claiming poverty, that $210 each equates to $840 a year, or over $16 a week in spending on lotto etc. If your claiming poverty, you shouldn't have money to waste on gambling. Gambling, smokes, drugs, alcohol should be the first things to cut out if your finding money tight.

31/08/2012 9:45:49 a.m.

Tony wrote:

$404 million was lost on Lotto last year. Around 45% of New Zealanders play Lotto. Very few will develop a gambling problem/addiction. Average loss per person is low. $856 million was lost on non-casino pokies. Around 6% of New Zealanders play non-casino pokies. 1 in 4 who play pokies will develop a gambling problem/addiction. Average loss per person is high.

31/08/2012 7:21:50 a.m.

Mike wrote:

Lotto spending about matches the pokies each year (even be a bit higher), just people claim it isn't a problem, as mostly low income people waste money on it, then claim poverty as they have spent money they would be better off spending elsewhere, like on their kids!

Now if the childrens commissioner was involved to write a report on the problem gambler, again he would not address the real issue of the problem gambler spending more than they can afford, and claim if we just paid the problem gambler more, it would magically solve the problem!

The problem is spending more than one can afford, not a lack of money. We need more people to learn how to budget, how to live within a budget, how to eat healthily within a budget, not to throw more money at a problem, or to stop everyone who are responsible from accessing something because a few have a problem.

30/08/2012 8:34:19 p.m.

damz wrote:

How much has been pumped in lotto? I never play pokies. But play lotto twice a week. at least 32 a week???