Pokies and Slot Machine Information

Playing pokies a hazard?

April 23, 2006 on 2:04 pm | In Slot machine articles online |

A Victoria, Australia group which comments on problem gambling has made the following observation:

“The Council of Gamblers’ Help Services executive officer Eddie Chapman said gamblers could not be expected to make informed decisions about their spending because the rapid and continuous nature of machines interfered with normal decision making.”

Star News Group

Once again the gaming machines themselves are being blamed for players losses. Instead, the regulation of the machines should be looked at. Its quite possible to have the same number of gaming machines as already exist - in such a way as not to cause the huge player losses currently experienced.

A partial solution - remove the high taxation on gaming machine turnover. Venues must set their percentage payouts according to law, but at the same time the various governments which set the laws have a large hand in the payout pie.

In theory pokies payouts could be adjusted to a level which would make playing them little more expensive than playing other forms of arcade video games.

Remember from our previous posts that you are effectively paying a fee, a percentage of every single dollar you play in a slot machine, to play that game. Commonly the machines will keep 10% or more of every dollar invested - if this were reduced to a 1 or 2 percent level and maximum bets were reduced, players could simply lose much less over time.

Changing the payout regime is unlikely - most governments are in the awkward position of needing the revenue to balance their budgets.