Problem gambling starts young. Research has not only proven that exposure to gambling early on in life can lead to the development of gambling addiction as adult; it also finds that a percentage of underage individuals across Australia are already problem gamblers. To prevent young people from being exposed to gambling, Adelaide politicians have enacted a new ban on arcade games that mimic the operation of pokies.
Attorney-General John Rau states that the new law aims to protect children from soft gambling, which is the act of spending money on games to win prizes. This type of gaming has the potential to condition young people, getting them used to wagering on electronic gaming machines and leading to the development of unhealthy gambling habits later on in life.
There are several specifications that a machine will have to meet in order to be banned. For example, a game that uses gambling terminology like ‘betting’ or ‘jackpot’ would qualify. Those that are described as pokies or simulate the operation of poker machines will also be banned. Arcade games luring children to gamble has been a concern for quite some time.
In 2011, Adelaide Now published a story on the topic, stating that members of the community believed these types of games could be a pathway to the development of harmful gambling habits. It has taken a year, something has finally been done to address this concern. The ban has gained a great deal of support from politicians across the country.
Responsible gambling advocate Nick Xenophon stated that the law prevents today’s children from becoming tomorrow’s problem gamblers, and stands behind the ban. "I came across a few of these machines and thought how close they were to poker machines," says John Darley, an Independent MLC. "To let kids use these things is asking for trouble." The ban will not affect most other arcade games.
Pinball machines, billiards, air hockey tables and claw machines will continue to operate as usual in children’s arcades.
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