The dark side of ambling in Australia has once again been put in the spotlight following many calls for poker machines to be once and for all removed from local clubs and pubs. But can Australian authorities do that? Will they dare to slash one of the largest sources of revenue of states and territories that fill in some budget holes and fund some society projects and good causes?
Electronic slot machines are largely present at casinos all over the world. However, in Australia, the scale of popularity of poker machines, is simply enormous. Pokies are literally everywhere – in pubs, hotels, special lounges, clubs, etc., no matter if it comes to a small town or a large city.
According to reports, Australia is currently home to less than 0.5% of the world’s population. However, the country holds 20% of the world’s pokies, with 80% of their overall number here situated outside casinos. As a result of this common presence, Australia is known as the nation with the largest average gambling losses on a global scale, and things are getting worse every year, with thousands of cases of anti-social behaviour, such as domestic violence, financial crimes, insolvencies and suicides, are linked to them.
Things even seem to be getting worse. One study suggests that the share of local residents who can be categorised as problem gamblers doubled to over 1% over a 10-year period.
Australian Gambling Operators Remain among the Biggest Political Parties’ Contributors
The gambling industry in Australia claims that so-called pokies operate legally under the regulation of local watchdogs, and are enjoyed responsibly by millions of Australian customers. The lengthy coronavirus lockdowns also made the situation seem quite under control because many addicts and their relatives were relieved at the time since they had nowhere to go.
The reopening of retail pubs, clubs and other gambling venues, however, made the Australians’ financial losses soar to record high, with the current losses levels being as strong as before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Another problem is that local politicians remain unwilling to bring some changes because, for years, the local gambling sector has been among the largest contributors to the major political parties, not to mention the billions in state and territory taxes paid by the industry.
Things seem to be even worse than expected, because the gaming commissioner in New South Wales (NSW), home to about 50% of the country’s 200,000 poker machines, was recently removed after making a move seeking some reforms to be brought by the industry to keep local gamblers better protected. Approximately 50% of the state’s 90,000 poker machines are situated in greater Sydney, with most of the machines being situated in the western and southwestern suburbs of the city, which are currently home mostly to people from the working class.
As Casino Guardian previously reported, poker machines have had a detrimental impact on some of the most disadvantaged areas across the country. According to reports, the negative effects of the pokies on such areas are enormous, with a large number of poker machine addicts left on the brink of a personal catastrophe.
The Future of Poker Machines in Australia Remains Unclear
Currently, pokies can be found literally in every part of the country but Western Australia where only one casino is allowed to offer such gambling machines and the rates of problem gambling are way smaller than in the rest of the country.
According to opponents of the Australian poker machines, the local gambling industry has been resisting reforms for over 10 years, and urgent measures need to be taken in order for some limits to play pokies to be eventually imposed. The long-time anti-gambling advocate Andrew Wilkie has been pushing for a gambling overhaul in the country that would preset poker machine loss limits. Unfortunately, the proposed measure was slashed by the centre-left Labour Government as a reminder that most politicians would not be willing to impose stricter measures on one of the largest contributing industries to both local coffers and political campaigns.
As Mr Wilkie has warned, gambling operators and poker machine operators had their tentacles deep into the local political system, with no less than AU$60 million donated to the three major political parties by the gambling industry since the beginning of the 21st century.
Considering the massive monetary contributions made by the gambling companies and the obvious unwillingness of Australian politicians to implement some more serious restrictions on the poker machine sector, the fate of pokies remains unknown. Although the calls for an overhaul of the industry are getting more and more common these days, for the time being, massive closures seem highly unlikely. Certain restrictions may still apply, as local Governments may consider the implementation of some limitations to the pubs and clubs offering pokies across the territory of the country.
- Author
Daniel Williams
