The Crack Cocaine of Gambling

Christchurch gambling culture revealed

ANNA TURNER

Fairfax NZ

SHOW ME THE MONEY: Pokie machines are labelled the 'crack cocaine' of the gaming industry.

Flashing lights, loud noises and an instant hit.

It's no wonder gaming machines have been labelled the "crack cocaine" of gambling.

Non-casino pokie machines are causing serious damage to communities, prompting the Government to announce a $55.3 million strategy to help combat problem gambling.

Christchurch, with the most number of venues and pokie machines of any major centre in New Zealand, remains right at the heart of the raging issue.

Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) figures show Christchurch is still down 400 non-casino pokie machines since before the earthquakes, but gambling on the machines hasn't taken the same hit.
 
Salvation Army Oasis Centre for problem gambling co-ordinator Tony Foster said it had seen a "huge influx" in clients over the past 18 months.

"We've had a lot of people coming in at absolute crisis point," he said.

"Canterbury has a lot of pokie machines and a lot of people who are suffering from issues."

Between March and June, Christchurch's non-casino gaming machine proceeds rose by $1.8m - the highest rise of any region in the country - despite the fact Christchurch lost nine gaming machines during the period.

Christchurch City's gaming proceeds for the April to June quarter were more than $20m, which accounted for nearly 10 per cent of New Zealand's gaming machine proceeds.

Foster said there was "no single profile" of a problem gambler.

"There's no exact age or status and it's split pretty much down the middle between males and females.

Our youngest client was 17 and our oldest was 84. It really could be anyone."
Problem gamblers "developed a relationship" with their machine, he said.

"All they think about is that machine. They talk to it, they kiss it, they hug it, they yell at it."

This resulted in problem gamblers experiencing depression, anxiety, panic attacks, weight loss and even developing urinary tract infections because they did not want to leave their machine to go to the bathroom.

Many also lost jobs, relationships, homes and some turned to crime to fund their addiction.

They weren't just hurting themselves, though; each problem gambler was estimated to have an impact on five to ten other people.

"That's a lot of people in Christchurch who are being hurt by this," Foster said.
Christchurch psychologist Dr Simon Adamson described pokies as the "crack cocaine" of gambling.

"Unlike Lotto, if you lose you don't have to wait a week to play again, you can gamble as frequently as every few seconds and can spend large amounts of money doing so," he said.

"Given the danger of pokie machines, we should be concerned at how widely available they are, but at the same time pleased that the Christchurch City Council has instituted a ‘sinking lid' policy to gradually reduce the number of machines in our city."

Adamson said problem gambling was characterised by escalating levels of gambling in the pursuit of excitement, unsuccessful attempts to control gambling, using gambling to cope with negative moods, and trying desperately to win back losses.


However, Internal Affairs minister Chris Tremain said he was not concerned about the state of gambling in Christchurch as it was "not rising but stable".

He said there had been a decline in Christchurch of 2.7 per cent for gaming machine proceeds since 2012 and dismissed the latest quarterly increase as a normal "fluctuation".

Tremain cited figures showing that the city's non-casino gaming machine profits in 2008 were $81.6m, whereas last year this was down to $79m.
But Foster refuted Tremain's claims.

"Figures may be going down but we know problem gambling is still huge here. We have seen a huge increase in the number of people seeking help with our services over the last year."
   
He also noted that Tremain's figures did not include pokie machines at the casino, where a large chunk of gambling occurred.

Tremain recently dropped the problem gambling levy from 1.48 per cent to 1.31 per cent as "there had been no significant change to problem gambling data".

On top of the levy - used to fund problem gambling programmes - gambling trusts are required to distribute a minimum of 37.5 per cent of their pokies proceeds back into to the community.

There are 12 trusts operating in Christchurch.

Tremain said the amount which trusts were required to return to the community would soon be lifted.
"Every additional one per cent increase means an $7 million more for community and sporting groups."

However, Foster said there were "serious problems" with the system.

"There's no requirement for it to go back into the community where it comes from. The gambling trusts put machines in low-decile areas but that's not where the money goes back. They take the money out of Aranui and put it back into a soccer club in Fendalton."

No matter how much the Government raised the contribution, Foster said the cost of gambling was still too high.

If you are concerned about your own gambling, or the gambling of someone close to you, call the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655.

95 Venues in Christchurch City ward with gaming machines as at June 30, operating a total of 1332 machines.

7% The proportion of gambling machines in New Zealand this represents.

$20m Christchurch's gaming proceeds for the April to June 2013 quarter – nearly 10 per cent of nationwide profits. $1.8m

The rise in Christchurch's gaming machine proceeds between March 2013 and June 2013, the highest jump in the country.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9081419/Christchurch-gambling-culture-revealed