Slots addiction, Australian-style

[Katweezel]

In my irregular campaign to try to raise general awareness in Australia concerning the ongoing wave of poker machine (slots) addiction in this country, the Sydney Morning Herald recently printed my letter, bless em:


Editor SMH,
"Australians lost around $8B last year on poker machines. That is pure madness in a country of just 21M population. Any pro casino player will never play a game where the house edge is worse than it is for baccarat (1.25%). You might imagine how he’d feel about pokies where the house edge is probably at or near 14%.

The industry believes that patrons are entertained by pokies, with their infernal noise, flashing lights and button pushing. Right. Taken in you mean, by clever tricks designed by psychologists, scientists and techno geeks and are designed to promote addiction. And have you noticed, patrons rarely talk to people, while they sit like automatons feeding the thing and pushing buttons, and … losing. If this is you, get a life and stay away from these infernal machines. Get this, you will NEVER overcome such a high house edge. Australia has the highest number of pokies in the world per head of population. That makes us the DUMBEST gamblers in the world. Time to wake up Australia." :eyepatch:

 

[blikous]

I think one of the bigger factors of this is that any country club/RSL can get slot machines, whereas there is only a SINGLE casino per state where you can play other games.

That been said though, there is way way way too many suckers on the slots at Crown.

 

[Katweezel]

I think one of the bigger factors of this is that any country club/RSL can get slot machines, whereas there is only a SINGLE casino per state where you can play other games.

That been said though, there is way way way too many suckers on the slots at Crown.

And just about every city pub has the f**kers too, wherever you go. I was a little angry when I wrote the SMH newspaper letter and it comes across as being too... preachy. I don't like how Australian casinos have lessened the number of table games and expanded their slots - with State governments' permission! and so more and more floor space (particularly in Queensland) is being devoted to The Machine. I hope the trend reverses, but I wouldn't hold my breath... :eyepatch:

 

[ycming]

The flaw of the letter is that you expect people that plays the slot machines understands what house edge means.

If they did, you think they would play it in the first place?

None the less, it is good that you are doing something about it!

Ming

 

[RingyDingy]

Nice one Katz,

Great to see you published! is this your first step on the road to fame and fortune?

On another note, Just before Christmas I was in a big department store buying a couple of video games for the kids, and two elderly ladies were buying games for their grand kids or whatever, and one said to the other "I don't know how kids these days can sit and stare at the screens the whole day long" I thought to myself, have you been to crown lately? the average age of slot players was well above 65, and they are glued to them like brain sucking aliens.

Needless to say, pokies/slots are a giant casino con, at least we are smart enough to make an educated decision about why we dont play them.

On the flip side, i dont think we are ones to complain about performing mindless activities, last time i checked the grind is in fact a real grind, hehehehe.

cheers

Ringy.