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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| The high cost of Australia's addiction to 'pokies' | The high cost of Australia's addiction to 'pokies' |
| (5 days later) | |
| Laura began gambling on slot machines, or pokies as they are known in Australia, when she was 20 years old. | Laura began gambling on slot machines, or pokies as they are known in Australia, when she was 20 years old. |
| Within a few months she was hooked. | Within a few months she was hooked. |
| "I loved it but it didn't love me back," says Laura, not her real name, a wobble of emotion in her voice. She is now 25. | "I loved it but it didn't love me back," says Laura, not her real name, a wobble of emotion in her voice. She is now 25. |
| At her peak she was losing about A$5,000 ($3,650; £2,350) a month. | At her peak she was losing about A$5,000 ($3,650; £2,350) a month. |
| "It would be basically all the money I had until my last dollar was gone." | "It would be basically all the money I had until my last dollar was gone." |
| Laura had a decent job but she would pour all of her salary into the pokies and then borrow from friends and relatives to gamble more. | Laura had a decent job but she would pour all of her salary into the pokies and then borrow from friends and relatives to gamble more. |
| "I lost my relationship. I lost my job. I went to pretty desperate measures to fund my gambling." | "I lost my relationship. I lost my job. I went to pretty desperate measures to fund my gambling." |
| 'Gambling problem' | 'Gambling problem' |
| Laura is far from alone. Australians are officially the world's biggest gamblers, with each adult losing on average more than A$1,380 a year. | Laura is far from alone. Australians are officially the world's biggest gamblers, with each adult losing on average more than A$1,380 a year. |
| That is double the amount lost by Americans and almost three times as much as the British. | That is double the amount lost by Americans and almost three times as much as the British. |
| "Australians lose more per head than any other country in the world," says Dr Sally Gainsbury from the Centre for Gambling Research at Southern Cross University. | "Australians lose more per head than any other country in the world," says Dr Sally Gainsbury from the Centre for Gambling Research at Southern Cross University. |
| "Australia definitely has a gambling problem," she says. | "Australia definitely has a gambling problem," she says. |
| "One percent of adults have a serious gambling problem which is actually a clinical disorder. Four percent of adults have moderate gambling problems and eight percent a low range of gambling problems." | "One percent of adults have a serious gambling problem which is actually a clinical disorder. Four percent of adults have moderate gambling problems and eight percent a low range of gambling problems." |
| That means it is estimated there are a staggering half a million Australians at risk from problem gambling. | That means it is estimated there are a staggering half a million Australians at risk from problem gambling. |
| 'Hypnotised' | 'Hypnotised' |
| By far the biggest problem is slot machines, of which there are more than 200,000 across Australia. | By far the biggest problem is slot machines, of which there are more than 200,000 across Australia. |
| "Pokies are the biggest revenue generator," says Dr Gainsbury. "Around two-thirds of all gambling losses are through the pokies and in Australia that amounts to around A$9.8bn a year." | "Pokies are the biggest revenue generator," says Dr Gainsbury. "Around two-thirds of all gambling losses are through the pokies and in Australia that amounts to around A$9.8bn a year." |
| It is incredibly easy to gamble in Australia. There are pokies in just about every pub or bar. | It is incredibly easy to gamble in Australia. There are pokies in just about every pub or bar. |
| Many pubs contain betting shops, where punters are able to gamble and drink at the same time, and there's nearly always a handily placed cash machine near by, often even in the pub itself. | Many pubs contain betting shops, where punters are able to gamble and drink at the same time, and there's nearly always a handily placed cash machine near by, often even in the pub itself. |
| "My partner used to say it was like I was hypnotised," says Laura. | "My partner used to say it was like I was hypnotised," says Laura. |
| "I was chasing the adrenalin of having a big win. There was just something about the lights and the sounds of the pokie machines. I would just crave it." | "I was chasing the adrenalin of having a big win. There was just something about the lights and the sounds of the pokie machines. I would just crave it." |
| Laura, now a university student who hasn't gambled for more than a year since joining Gamblers Anonymous, says she knew the odds were against her but she just couldn't stop herself. | Laura, now a university student who hasn't gambled for more than a year since joining Gamblers Anonymous, says she knew the odds were against her but she just couldn't stop herself. |
| 'Lied to their faces' | 'Lied to their faces' |
| Gambling addiction takes many forms. | Gambling addiction takes many forms. |
| "I knew exactly what time I got paid and I lost all that money before I even left the office," says Matthew, again not his real name, a 35-year-old IT worker. | "I knew exactly what time I got paid and I lost all that money before I even left the office," says Matthew, again not his real name, a 35-year-old IT worker. |
| Matthew became hooked on amateur online trading sites, speculating on shares and currencies. | Matthew became hooked on amateur online trading sites, speculating on shares and currencies. |
| He first noticed he had a problem not because of the losses but because of the amount of time he was wasting at work researching the markets. | He first noticed he had a problem not because of the losses but because of the amount of time he was wasting at work researching the markets. |
| But soon he says he was losing more money than many people make in a year; tens of thousands of dollars. | But soon he says he was losing more money than many people make in a year; tens of thousands of dollars. |
| "I lost a relationship, my fiancee. The relationship I had with my mum went down the drain," Matthew says. | "I lost a relationship, my fiancee. The relationship I had with my mum went down the drain," Matthew says. |
| "The thing that got most people was that I lied to their faces about where I was and about my money situation." | "The thing that got most people was that I lied to their faces about where I was and about my money situation." |
| Social cost | Social cost |
| Most compulsive gamblers have similar stories to tell. | Most compulsive gamblers have similar stories to tell. |
| "In terms of social costs, it is estimated that problem gambling costs A$4.7bn each year," says Dr Gainsbury. | "In terms of social costs, it is estimated that problem gambling costs A$4.7bn each year," says Dr Gainsbury. |
| "Gambling is something that affects not just the individual but the people around them. We're talking family breakdown, unemployment, work disruption and then things you can't even put a price on like suicide." | "Gambling is something that affects not just the individual but the people around them. We're talking family breakdown, unemployment, work disruption and then things you can't even put a price on like suicide." |
| With such a heavy social cost you would think the government would be keen to do something about it. You would be wrong. | With such a heavy social cost you would think the government would be keen to do something about it. You would be wrong. |
| "Gambling taxes are one of the single largest sources of income for the state and territory governments," says Dr Gainsbury. | "Gambling taxes are one of the single largest sources of income for the state and territory governments," says Dr Gainsbury. |
| "It's estimated that in 2014-15 they'll get almost A$5.9bn from gambling [in taxes]. This is over 10% of total tax revenue for some of the states." | |
| And if anything, gambling is growing in Australia. | And if anything, gambling is growing in Australia. |
| Chinese lure | Chinese lure |
| On Sydney Harbour, a huge new supercasino is being built by the Australian businessman James Packer. | On Sydney Harbour, a huge new supercasino is being built by the Australian businessman James Packer. |
| The A$2bn project is being aimed primarily at the Chinese market, hoping to lure a growing number of high rollers from Asia. | The A$2bn project is being aimed primarily at the Chinese market, hoping to lure a growing number of high rollers from Asia. |
| "Chinese gamblers are being highly targeted," says Dr Gainsbury. | "Chinese gamblers are being highly targeted," says Dr Gainsbury. |
| "They're the ones who are expected to be staying at the five-star hotel and playing at the high roller tables." | "They're the ones who are expected to be staying at the five-star hotel and playing at the high roller tables." |
| Despite the estimated 500,000 people here at risk from problem gambling, Australia looks set to solidify its title as the capital of big betting. | Despite the estimated 500,000 people here at risk from problem gambling, Australia looks set to solidify its title as the capital of big betting. |