From various studies, gambling is becoming a serious problem in Australia. Most pubs have pokies or poker machines, but this will soon come to an end.
According to the Green Party, plans are underway to phase out the pokies from pubs in the next 5 years or so. This will be a big blow to the pub industry as gambling revenue is a large part of their income. However, it is hoped that this will help reduce problem gambling in Australia.
What Are Pokies?
Poker machines, or pokies, are a type of gambling device that can be found in pubs, clubs, and hotels across Australia. They are a popular form of gambling, with many people spending hundreds of dollars on them every month.
Pokies are typically played by putting money into the machine and pressing a button to spin the reels. If you match certain symbols, you will win money. Pokies can be addictive and many people end up spending more money than they can afford to lose.
Gambling Problem in Australia
Gambling is a big problem in Australia, with an estimated $24 billion being spent on gambling each year. This includes both legal and illegal forms of gambling.
Of this, $12 billion is spent on pokies alone. This means that pokies make up a large portion of gambling revenue in Australia.
Poker machines are the most harmful form of gambling, as they are designed to be addictive. Many people who play pokies end up losing a lot of money and getting into debt. Pokies are also linked to other social problems, such as family violence and crime.
The gradual banning of pokies should reduce the negative effect, but on the other hand every day there are online sites with pokies. The government prohibits the processing of Visa / Mastercard cards in such casinos.
However, casinos are adapting and connecting new types of payments, so for example now are very popular PayID casinos for Aussie gamblers. PayID allows you to bypass blocked payment methods remains available and not as complicated as cryptocurrency.
How Pokies Became So Popular in Pubs?
Poker machines were first introduced into Australian pubs in the 1950s. At first, they were not very popular and were only found in a few pubs. However, this changed in the 1970s when state governments started to legalize poker machines. This made them more widely available and their popularity increased.
In the 1980s, state governments began to introduce regulations on poker machines. This included things like limits on how much money could be bet and how often the machines could be used. However, these regulations were not very effective and problem gambling continued to increase.
In the 1990s, there was a big change in the way that poker machines were operated. This was when the first electronic poker machines were introduced.
These new machines were more addictive and allowed players to lose money much faster. They also had features that made them more exciting to play, such as bonus games and jackpots.
The introduction of electronic poker machines led to a significant increase in problem gambling. This is because they are designed to be addictive and many people find it hard to stop playing them.
Poker machines are now found in almost every pub in Australia. They are a major source of revenue for the pub industry, but they are also responsible for a lot of harm.
What Is Being Done to Reduce Problem Gambling?
The Australian government is taking steps to reduce the problem. Some of the measures being taken include:
- Introducing new regulations on poker machines, such as limits on how much can be bet and how often they can be used.
- Providing more information to the public about the risks of gambling.
- Increasing funding for research and treatment of problem gambling.
- Working with the pub industry to phase out poker machines from pubs.
These measures will help to reduce problem gambling in Australia. However, it will take time and effort to change the culture of gambling in Australia.
The phasing out of poker machines from pubs is a good first step. This will make them less accessible and will reduce the amount of money that is spent on them.
However, there are still many other forms of gambling that are harmful. The government needs to continue to work on this issue and make sure that people are aware of the risks.
The Green Party is formulating a policy to reduce problem gambling in Australia. By choosing to phase out the electronic gaming machines, starting with those in pubs, the Party is taking an important step forward to a healthier and more sustainable society.
Final Thoughts
Evidently, gambling is quite a problem in society. We will just wait and see if the efforts by the Green Party in Australia to phase out pokies in pubs have any effect. Hopefully, it does and we see less gambling overall in Australia. Thanks for reading!