gambling reform & gambling harm awareness
In the 2014/15 financial year, venues operated by Woolworths’ gambling division ALH Group grossed $678 million from poker machines. That’s 26.4% of Victoria’s overall losses.
Victorian gamblers spent $2.571 billion on poker machines in the 2014/15 financial year. That’s up by over $67 million on the previous year and shows that the gambling industry is going from strength to strength.
But where did the money come from? Who’s spending more, and who’s kicking the habit?
Victoria’s addiction to poker machines continues. The state with the third-highest number of pokies in the country has just seen yearly losses jump by the highest amount in six years.
“YourPlay” is shaping up to be the worst thing to happen to Victorian gamblers since poker machines were introduced to the state over 20 years ago.
And by “worst”, I don’t mean it’s going to stop them gambling. Indeed, that’s the whole point.
A loophole in Australia’s state and territory gambling legislation is being exploited by the poker machine industry, and our governments are turning a blind eye.
On July 1 2014, the Queensland Coalition state government’s “red tape reduction” program for the gaming machine industry came into effect.
It’s been a full year since these changes were introduced, and the cost is clear to see.
