Responsible gambling advocates have long argued that pokies should not be placed in residential areas because local residents could be tempted to gamble. Now, a new study backs this claim, finding that individuals who live closer to pokies are more likely to gamble and gamble more frequently. The findings are a result of a 2010 study, titled: Too close to home?
The relationships between residential distance to venue and gambling outcomes. The lead researchers were Martin Young of South Cross University, Francis Markham of the Menzies School of Health Research and Bruce Doran, of the Australian National University. Over 7000 people in Northern Territory were asked about their gambling habits, including questions about where they gamble and their gambling habits.
The study helped to prove that individuals who live closer to pokie venues will visit these facilities more frequently that those who live further away. Residents living within 100 metres of a pokie venue visited 3.4 times per month, compared to residents who lived 1km away who visited 2.8 times per month. Individuals living 10km away visited just 2.2 times a month.
“The spatial distribution of pokies does impact actual gambling behaviour and therefore gambling harm at the local level,” reads an overview of the study by Martin Young. “A policy free-for-all that allows the introduction of a greater number of poker machines into more locations is likely to increase the overall rates of problem gambling”. Proximity to casinos, on the other hand, does not make much of a difference.
The report found that players are just as likely to visit casinos regardless of how far away they are located. The findings also shed light on problem gambling concerns. Gambling harm was 50% higher among individuals who live 1km away from gaming venues, compared to individuals that live 10km away. As such, the study suggests that moving pokies away from residential areas could reduce problem gambling rates across the state.
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