YOUR SAY
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
What impact, if any, have poker machines had on your life?
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Hey I stopped playing pokies as from today and will from now on only play once a month gambling to a maximum of $50 and will not take my credit card with me. Since governments don't have the backbone to hold a referendum on whether pokies should be banned then follow my example and vote with your feet and only play once a month at the beginning of each month and bet to a maximum of $50. Such action will bring the poker machine industry to its knees and in the long term we will be better off socially and economically. One two three don't play these satanic machines five, six, seven lets hope they disappear soon.
I just wonder whether those who support poker machines have a conscience. If governments do not not have the backbone to hold a referendum on whether these idiotic machines should be banned then why don\\\'t poker machine players vote with their feet. I will not gamble on another poker machine until 3 August, 2008 and when I do so I will take in only a maximum amount of $50 and leave my credit card behind. I limit myself to playing pokies once a month to playing pokies in this way.I hope others will do the same and eventually bring the poker machine industry to its knees. Oh by the way to those working in the poker machine industry why don\\\'t you start finding work elsewhere. Hey come on lets slowly but surely get rid of these satanic machines and you can all do this by not playing pokies for at least one month as from 3 July, 2008
Poker machines are very manipulative. I have been to GAA and counselling but to no avail. I don't see playing pokies as a form of entertainment, rather their addictive effect is similar to that of drugs, by particularly making you withdrawn. Until I can emigrate to Perth I am going contain my addiction by playing pokies only once a month play to a maximum amount of $50 and don't take my credit card with me. Pokies are a social and economic drain on society. Their advantages are easily outweighed by their disadvantages. Lets just get rid of them. Oh incidentally when I go to a dance at a pokies free venue I feel so much happier.
I can understand that pokies are a form of entertainment. But when the shopping centers have opening and closing time from 9.00 to 5.30. Why do clubs start trading at 9.00 clock in the morning and do not close till 6am. I believe the poker machines should be only open at 7pm and close say at 11 pm. Thus making it unaccessible to bored mothers and pensioners who find so much excitement and heartache. Same with TAB. Why should TAB be open till 10pm. Why aren't there any limited trading hours so the fathers can be home in time to spend some time with their kids and mothers dont drown the kids uni fees and holiday money in the poker machines
Less than 1% of gamblers are problem gamblers. Dont take away my choices because a few people need help. Lets get those people the help they need and stop making decisions on what I can and cant do. Bloody rules everywhere - cant do this or that. We have to stop babying everyone. Who are you to decide what is good for me!
Not everyone is a problem gambler, most aren\'t. I\'ve been playing poker machines for over 30 years - you play for fun, maybe catch a couple of wins. People with gambling problems need access to good counselling services. The government is reducing access to these services by awarding grants to centralised locations and haveing counsellors travel hundreds of kilometers to outreach. Counsellors need to be out in the local community, easily accessible, not 4 hours drive away
Tim Costello identified the real issue here. The licenses to operate these machines are issued by the State Gov's. They are therefore PUBLIC LICENSES and as such must be used in the best interests of the public. Why doesnt the State Gov's do the whole thing, by selling the rights to operate this system to the highest bidder they are trying to distance themselves from responsibility to the public whilst keeping the huge money laundering profits under the guise of tax. The devestating effects these machines are having on the public are exposed again and again. How can any Gov allow such an evil and manipulated scam to continue to prey on innocent people??? The public are losing their lives, their houses, their families, the criminals are happily laundering more drug and terrorist money today. The machines are the problem, the outrageous amounts of losses are the damage. LIMIT the LOSS effectively by having a system that immediately applies to all machines for that person NOW. Where is the conscience and decency in what these State Gov's in this country have done and in the face of such damning evidence continue to do to the PUBLIC.
I have been a heavy gambler for over ten years and spent over 200k yes i am ashamed, i have tried all the gambling services and none have worked for me. there is only one last thing for me to do and that is to move to perth to live (last resort) i suffer anxiety, depression and stress. we need to fight this together....... support each other in every way..... we can beat this evil addiction! dont let it destroy us! hold your head high and find your inner strength.. best of luck and health to all fellow problem gamblers.
I'm willing to take responsibility for my recovery, but the so called Clubsafe self exclusion program does not do much to assist.How about providing self exclusion to multiple clubs. Also, when i go to the venue to self exclude, why do i have to wait for them to mail papers to me, i am right there in the office, ready and willing.The self exclusion program in NSW is a joke.
I have read with interest the comments below and watched the Insight program on 28 April. We have just released research this week on the link between problem gambling and fraud in Australia over the period 1998-2007. Poker machines figure most prominently in the research. For those interested in the report, it can be obtained from our website at no cost. Go to www.warfield.com.au. Regards Brett Warfield