People do some crazy things for money, and it seems that attacking inanimate objects happens more often than not. This week, a 22-year-old man from Wanaka attacked a poker machine in a gaming club. A strange act of aggression, the man will have to appear in court as a result of his crime. According to authorities, the man caused ‘considerable’ damage to the poker machine in question.
The club will have to repair the machine or have to replace it. Either option will be quite expensive, so it seems that charges will be pressed against the young man. His court date is set for March 26th, 2012. "He didn't think the machine was right”, says Senior Constable Hurley. “I think he thought the machine was cheating him”.
The young man’s act of aggression seems to be the physical manifestation of the frustration that many losing poker players feel. It highlights the underlying emotional issues that problem gamblers may experience, so there is a need for counselling when it comes to the treatment of rising problem gambling rates across the country.