Over the course of the past few years, Australia has seen a huge increase in its number of problem gamblers. Recent studies even show that Australia has one of the highest rates of gambling addiction in the world. The government has present pokie reform as a solution to the problem, but many advocates and not-for-profit groups have step forward to state that it is inadequate.
Instead of implementing pokie reform, they believe that the government should address some more serious issues that can lead to the development and growth of gambling addiction among the population. According ABC Sydney, it is become more apparent that rates of poverty have a direct correlation with gambling addiction rates.
Areas where pokies spending rates are highest are commonly low-income, consisting of residents who live on or below the poverty line. A recent statistic has even indicated that the average income of these areas can be as low as $1400 while poker machine revenue in the same areas can be $9000. As such, poverty levels should be addressed before pokie reform is implemented.
Additionally, gambling addiction is often rooted in deeper issues than access to games with unlimited spending restrictions. Although players can choose to spend thousands of dollars in one session, many that do so often suffer from other psychological problems such as anxiety, depression or addictive personalities.
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