Some shocking statistics have been released about pokies losses in August. According to figures from the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation, Australians lost $187 million throughout August 2012. It is the largest recorded pokies loss ever. Pokies spending has seen a huge increase over the course of the past year. More and more Australians are spending an increasing amount on the games.

Last month’s figures market a $10 million increase on figures from August 2011, causing local politicians to become increasingly concerned about the gaming habits of local players. Gaming experts have yet to conclude the reason behind the surge in spending. This year, Australians have received numerous tax returns, carbon tax compensation and education allowances.

Researchers believe that these could have contributed to the spike in poker machine losses, but there is currently no definitive proof of this being the case. Derek Tuffield of the Gambling Help Network has stated that the staggering numbers are a cause for concern. Gambling spending is increasing faster than any other type of spending in the country, and much faster than the average income.

As such, it is time for the local government to take steps towards curbing gambling spending. MP Andrew Wilkie has fought to have poker machine reform implemented, which would require players to set limits on how much money they can spend per session. This would prevent players from spending more than they can afford and curbing the amount of money that is spent on pokies overall.

While pokies are meant to be harmless form of entertainment, some players take it to the extreme. For these players, there should be safeguards in place in order to ensure that they do not exceed a healthy spending limit when they place.

This is when mandatory pre-commitment software would come in handy; however, Julia Gillard and the coalition government have resisted the plan and have opted for a trial of voluntary pre-commitment software instead.

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.