Spending on poker machines seems to be on the rise across Australia. Several reports have recently been released indicating the amount of money that various areas of the country are spending on the machines. Most recently, it has been revealed that Ashburton's pokies spending has been on the rise for the past few months.

From February to June, pokies players in Ashburton spent over $1400 on poker machines, up from $1100 over the same period in 2010. According to the Ashburton Guardian, residents of the area are using pokies as a form of stress relief, after natural disasters struck the area recently. In response to the news, the Problem Gambling Foundation has issued a warning against gambling in order to relieve stress.

It can be a slippery slope, as gambling can be an expensive form of stress relief that often causes players to chase losses when they are in a dire time in their lives. The foundation also urges people who feel they may be affected by a gambling problem to come forward to talk about it.

They hope that they can help those who feel that their lives have been changed due to problem gambling and offer several services to families and individuals in need of assistance.

About the Author

George Anderson
Author George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.