Over the course of the past year, residents of Queensland have spent over $2 billion on pokies. Spending on pokies in the state has risen significantly during the past 12 months, and responsible gambling experts wonder if problem gamblers contribute to these numbers. The average spending across the state is $429 per person, which includes every man, woman and child.
In some areas of the state, the average spending is as high as $600 per person. This is in areas such as Mackay and Gladstone, which have higher rates of problem gambler. The highest average spending exists in Mackay, where residents spend $616 on pokies while the small average spending is in Gympie, where residents spend just $266 on pokies.
In Queensland, pokie spending is even higher than it is in states where gambling is permitted at all hours of the day. The state imposes some restrictions on when pokies can be played, including downtime for pokies and requiring casinos to close for several hours per day. In Brisbane, the Treasury Casino is open 24-hours a day and there is no required shut down period for pokies.
Even without restrictions, the city has a much lower average spending rate of $409 per person. According to the Productivity Commission, 600 000 people use pokies every day. Of these players, 95 000 are considered to be problem gamblers. They contribute at least 40% of what is spent on pokies every year.
A portion of the money the pokie players spend on the games is contributed to the Gambling Help Service, which is run by Relationships Australia in Queensland. It is important that problem gamblers receive the help they require, or they can dig themselves deep into debt. The government is working hard to ensure that pokie players do not develop compulsive behaviour, and The Gambling Help Service provides this assistance.
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