By Gaming Technologies Association
The 'Pokie Nation' documentary screened on ABC Tuesday night presented no credible evidence about Australian poker machines. The program was unbalanced and consequently not credible.
Every Australian poker machine game is forensically audited by independent testing laboratories and by state and territory regulators before it is approved for use. It is nonsense to suggest that laboratories and regulators don’t take their responsibilities seriously – and equally nonsensical to suggest that licensed poker machine suppliers seek to provide games for any purpose other than entertainment.
The program was not factually accurate. It didn’t mention that around 140,000 Australian jobs are an outcome of poker machines. It didn’t mention that over $5 billion annually is paid in taxes as a result of poker machines. It didn’t mention that millions of dollars are generously donated annually by hospitality venues with poker machines, to worthy community causes which would otherwise go unfunded.
But the biggest omission was that millions of people in Australia and around the world enjoy playing poker machines regularly and do not experience any problems.
About half of Australia’s poker machines are located in NSW – which legalised poker machines in 1956. The only jurisdiction worldwide with a longer history of legislated, regulated poker machines is Nevada USA which legalised them in the 1930s. 2.3 per cent of the world’s gaming machines are located in Nevada and 1.2 per cent are in NSW.
These are the views of the Gaming Technologies Association
Are you drug dealers in disguise….lets just all get on the pokie machines and get a big dopamine hit!
Bring back bands and indoor games…some dancing, socialising, actual good brain stimulation and moving of the body. Jobs that will stimulate the economy and peoples physical, social and mental health
The pokies industry relies on neurological manipulation to encourage addiction. The Australians who become problem gamblers are being purposely exploited by the pokies industry, who extract $12 billion each year from gamblers. There are 100,000 problem gamblers in Australia, and an additional 200,000 people who are significantly at risk of developing a full-blown addiction.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. It helps regulate movement and emotional responses, and it enables us not only to see rewards, but to take action to move toward them.
You will one day have to give account for your life.