Pokie machines, but at what price?

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Pokie machines, but at what price?

3News NZ

Are there too many pokie machines in New Zealand?

Are there too many pokie machines in New Zealand?

There are roughly 20,000 pokie machines in New Zealand.

They are way more common than any other form of gambling, and the form that problem gamblers use most often.

Pokie machines are disproportionately likely to be found in poor areas, and the losses total $2 million every day.

But can the people who are losing that money afford to lose it?

Kate King investigates

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Comments

15/08/2012 3:12:15 p.m.

Anne wrote:

Well said, Not Mike, thanks. One of the key issues is that pokie machines create addictions in many people, and when someone is addicted their behaviour and choices are not rational. Pokie machines are designed by psychologists to maximise their addictiveness. This is one of the reasons they create so much more social harm than Instant Kiwis etc (not that Instant Kiwis are harmless, but relatively speaking). Also, for every person with a gambling addiction, around 7 other people are negatively affected, so I think we need to take responsibility as a society to address this problem. People who harp on about taking responsibility are always looking at it from a purely individualistic way. Perhaps we need to take more community responsibility? I guess it's probably not worth answering ignorant people who see the world in such simplistic terms anyway, I really shouldn't waste my time but sometimes it's hard to resist. Oh, one last thing - I wonder how many people addicted to pokies would be against restricting access to them in their communities? I would wager it's not many.

14/08/2012 10:13:57 p.m.

Not Mike wrote:

You're right Mike, people should take responsibility for their own actions. That includes those who prey on the vulnerable by exploiting them. I'd rather this country was full of dumb people than those who exploit them.

14/08/2012 6:48:11 p.m.

Ben wrote:

I wish pokies were banned I started of just spending 20 dollars a week now it's over 500 a week, I kinda can afford to but that money would be alot better else were

14/08/2012 8:33:14 a.m.

Mike wrote:

Why are the poor more likely to waste money on pokies?

Are they more stupid?

We also have Instant Kiwi, Lotto, TAB, Casinos. If one wants to gamble, you can.

Everyone knows that pokie machines pay out less than you put in, ie lose money with. Just as smokers know smoking kills, yet we have people taking up smoking every day, and higher % amoung the poor.

At some stage people have to take responsibility for their own actions.