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The Forum > Article Comments > Blow up the pokies > Comments

Blow up the pokies : Comments

By Daniel Bradley, published 29/9/2011

Even if some clubs folded as a result of this legislation, is that necessarily a bad thing?

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The Acolyte Rizla,

You miss the point...clearly no one thinks alcoholism is acceptable nor should not be discouraged. The alcoholic may have significant impacts on their immediate family via premature death, abuse and violence to partner and/or children and may also waste considerable amounts of money. Alternatively they may fall asleep on the lounge and snore loudly thereby interrupting the TV.

What they can't do is spend their entire paycheck in 30 minutes of "quality time"; to consume that amount of alcohol is a "once in a lifetime" event.

Both the alcoholic and the compulsive gambler need assistance and this legislation; in the same way that "responsible service of alcohol" is the norm in licensed premises (you didn't lose your job when that was introduced) goes some way to mitigating the worst effects.

You will NOT lose your job if this group of gamblers is slowed down in their spend rate as it is only 40% of the largest clubs revenue from poker machines and if it is reduced by 10% then will have little impact on the clubs' overall profitability.
Posted by Peter King, Friday, 30 September 2011 10:19:40 AM
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Peter,

This legislation won't do a damn thing, in exactly the same way that the responsible service of alcohol legislation did sod all to prevent my alcoholism. We're talking about addicts here, and believe me, they will find ways to feed their addictions no matter what legislative obstacles you put in their way. Neither outright prohibition (in the case of illegal drugs) nor harm minimisation laws (in the case of alcohol, tobacco and pokies) will save an addict from themselves. In the end, the addict is the only person who can do that. Doctors, counsellors etc. can help a lot, but the law does sweet F.A.

So I'm not all that worried that I'll lose my job - legislation or no legislation, poker machine addicts will still feed their incomes to poker machines. But the author's disgusting suggestion that it would somehow be a good thing (or at least not a bad thing) if poker machine venues were to close, putting a lot of people out of work, was such an offensive assertion that it could not go unchallenged.
Posted by The Acolyte Rizla, Friday, 30 September 2011 10:45:39 AM
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"TAR",

I am sure no one wants you to lose your job nor see clubs shut down...perhaps it was an ambit claim by the author :)

However, as i understand it the pokie addict is a little different to other compulsive gamblers in that they are addicted to the process...press the buttons, watch the lights, pray for the win, chase the losses.

I think the theory is that you break this cycle and the gambler will have 'time out" to contemplate their losses. I don't know too many addicts of any persuasion but I do remember friends of my parents who lost large amounts of money on pokies and yet had no interest in horses, dogs, trots or even Lotto as alternate ways to throw away money. On that basis I think it would be worth trying.
Posted by Peter King, Friday, 30 September 2011 11:14:02 AM
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Acolyte, your argument has holes.

Pokies enable a user, addict or not, to loose up to $1200 in just one hour.

No alcohol addiction can account for that expenditure, hour after hour, day after day.

You simply can not liken one to the other.

As usual, our pollies are incapable of simply fixing the problem, without effecting th masses

This is why reducing the amount any machine can accept in any one hour will be a much simpler way to address the 1%'s and leave the masses to go about thier own business, free from interference from big brother.

I guess it's just a little to easy, so pollies can't help but mess with logic.
Posted by rehctub, Friday, 30 September 2011 2:44:40 PM
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Glen C:

...I have a "masters" in human nature: Addicts are a bunch of losers with no hope, or put another way, addicts are no-hopers! Wilkies of this world will not save one no-hoper from themselves. If a transformation is to happen in the life of an addict, it will begin from within, not without! Clubs should be left to do what they do best; look after bowlers, golfers and footballers et al..
Posted by diver dan, Friday, 30 September 2011 8:49:32 PM
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<Your question; why are addicts exploited legally at pokies can be answered; they are not! >

I beg to differ, Comical Ali. Ever heard of Slot Hypnosis?

http://casinogambling.about.com/od/slots/a/slothypnosis.htm

I thought that hypnosis was a medical therapy or the basis of an entertaining stage act, yet apparently clubs and casinos legally use hypnosis to relieve patrons of their money. But hey, it is okay because it is all in the name of fun, and only a few crackpots object to it.

In past times, hypnosis was regarded as a form of witchcraft. While I wouldn't like to see an exploitative use hypnosis result in people being burned at the stake, I dont think that it should have a legal standing in the gaming industry.
Posted by Fester, Saturday, 1 October 2011 12:03:38 AM
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