Gambling on so-called poker machines in Queensland has reached a record high since venues offering the electronic gambling terminals reopened, according to data revealed by the Liquor and Gaming regulatory body. The watchdog shared that local residents spent almost AU$293 million in July on the pokies, with the customer spending in the following months since then being similar.
The massive increase in their spending seems even more serious when the amount of AU$293 million is compared to the AU$161 million spent on pokies across the state of Queensland in February 2020, before the sector’s shutdown.
According to data provided by the state’s gambling regulator, gambling has doubled in some regional areas. For example, Mount Isa saw AU$4.5 million spent in July, while in February customer spending on gambling amounted to AU$2 million. The amount spent by Cairns gamblers on poker machines in February (AU$8 million) more than doubled in July, reaching AU$17 million. Goondiwindi players spent AU$810,000 in comparison to AU$366,000 spent in February.
The anti-gambling campaigners from the Alliance for Gambling Reform (AGR) had called for the Queensland State Government to keep controversial poker machines switched off, saying that the forced coronavirus shutdown actually created a unique opportunity for more serious reform in the sector. However, the campaigners’ suggestion was not backed, with over 45,000 people giving their approval to the pokies on July 10th.
Four-Month Lockdown Period Has Not Really Affected the Customers’ Interest in Gambling on Pokies
At the time when Australian venues offering poker machines were closed in March 2020 as part of the Government’s measures to prevent the further spread of the infection, some problem gamblers saw that as a chance to stop gambling for good.
Due to the lengthy lockdown period, some gambling addicts turned to online pokies at first, but for most of them, the closure of the clubs and pubs offering the notorious electronic gambling terminals meant that the temptation was not there anymore. Four months later, however, the venues reopened, and logically, poker machines were back in action, with the temptation returning.
According to Matthew Rockloff, a CQ University Professor, the four-month break in poker machine offering in land-based venues had not made people less willing to gamble. Dr Rockloff shared that most gamblers had not taken strong advantage of the long break that could have helped them put gambling habits behind them. He further noted that it was disappointing for him to see that people were getting back to the dangerous electronic gambling terminals and spending too much on the machines.
Charity organisations that help local gambling addicts deal with their compulsive gambling behaviour have revealed they are now preparing for an increasing number of people seeking help in the upcoming months because of the sharp rise in the poker machine engagement and spending. Some organisations’ officials have predicted that the actual increase is yet to come.
- Author
Daniel Williams
