Concern over 500 more pokie machines

THE State Government recently announced it would not oppose the application for 500 additional gaming machines and 130 additional gaming tables to be phased into the Burswood casino over a five-year period.

Although this is subject to approval of the Gaming and Wagering Commission of Western Australia, locals in the community have expressed their concerns about the additional devices.

City of South Perth councillor Peter Howat said as a health professional who is aware of the effects of gambling, he personally supports the moves to stop the escalation of poker machines.

“Public health authorities and some members of our local community are very concerned about our State Government approving this escalation of machines.

“We understand they will be confined to the casino, but the reality is that the aggressive marketing by the Casino is bound to result in even more of the vulnerable members of our local communities wasting large sums of their limited money on the poker machines, and suffering inevitable social and health problems associated with such losses.

“Also as a local councillor I am amazed at the complete lack of consultation with the local communities, including the residents of the City of South Perth, about the large increase in poker machines in their neighbourhood.”

Victoria Park MLA Ben Wyatt said the extra gaming machines were designed for Western Australians to use.

“I dare say that the overseas visitors targeted by Crown will be on the high-end gambling tables and not the machines,” he said.

“This obviously concerns me as people who cannot control their gambling can have a devastating impact on their family and the broader community.

“I appreciate that there is some call for extra tables and machines with a growing population and I will only ever tolerate increasing the number of tables provided pokie machines are not allowed across the broader community.”

- Need urgent help?

In the past year, Gambling Help Western Australia held 1318 individual, and 34 group counselling sessions.

Problem Gambling Helpline answered 684 gambling related calls and 59 counselling sessions were conducted.

To speak to a professional immediately, call the Problem Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858.

What everyone else is thinking

Pam

21/08/2012

I believe that Mr Packer should not have complete control over WA with his casino. His machines do not pay out as often as they did when it was owned by Genting. Share the profits around and give people other options for places to go ..... RSL clubs etc.

Phil

16/08/2012

Fay -- sadly the evidence is if 'we catch up with the east' our problem gambling rates will double with more crime and social problems. Pokies anywhere, especially in community pubs should be banned completely. Communities in the east that are fed up with the problems now cant get rid of them. We are very foolish to support pokies - based on the evidence that is very clear.

Greg

15/08/2012

Why would they let this happen without getting concessions from Crown. At the least they should license another casino and set quotas on these vile machines.

Fay

Its time that W.A caught up with the east, and have poker Machines and Keno in every club and Pub in W.A. As we all know that w.a. people will bet on a fly then why not let some of the clubs be supported by the machines this will take some of the profits away from the big Boys.Fay

David

I forgot one simple thing, There was nothing like the old One Armed bandits with the pull handles and reels, not like these electronic things in the Casino. Also they paid out small Jackpots which helped control the problem gamblers. My $20 investment often gave me a nights entertainment about once a month, on a Five Cent machine, and I would sometimes walk away with $60 profit and free grog for the night.
I hardly touch the machines now since I came to WA twenty years ago as they are a lost cause and highly addictive.
If you want to change something, change the machines.

Paul, I agree in part with what you say, but the Pokies are here and there is not much we can do about it. Packer has seen to that. At least if the samller clubs had some of them they could share the benefits, eg. cheaper beer and meals as in the Eastern States, and more localised decent entertainment.

If people want to gamble, they will. Doing it through the RSL etc, helps take the problem gambling out of the Casino and away from the gambling tables.
If you have never experienced the Eastern States clubs and you are quoting statistics then you are missing out on the true background of this problem which shows that people will gamble no matter what you say so share it around so others may appreciate the benefits and in some small way others can help bring the addicts in line by introducing them to the smaller club activities. There is certainly nothing on offer in the Casinos' except more gambling.

Paul

Lotto and scratchies are only a minor problem compared to poker machines.
There is enormous evidence from the Eastern States of the damaging effects of poker machine gaming - and its addictive nature especially on vulnerable, and often less well off people. Despite many sporting clubs there profiting, the social and health damage to local community members has been immense. Just take a look at the Productivity Commission reports to see why the proportion of problem gamblers in states with community poker machines is double that of the WA rates. WA doesnt need any more pokies!!

Stanley

14/08/2012

Suprise suprise, I wounder if this has got anything to do with rakeing in more money from the thousands of more people that will be in the area when the sports stadiun is built!

How can so may people be so blindsided were gambling is concerned. One man controls the Perth poker machine industry, Packer I believe and now he is going to build a huge addition to the Casino with even more machines. Not only that he is building beyond the Height limits of this city.
That said the biggest offenders of gambling would have to be Lotto and Scratchies, but nobody says they need to be controlled.
As with the Eastern States our small RSL and Bowling Clubs should be allowed to have some of these machines to help their income and support of the local population and their activities. This way some of the money is returned to the area and not Packer's pocket.