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7/23/2010: Reaction to The Relationship Between Crime and Gaming Expenditure
Academics, law enforcement and opposition members are reacting to The Relationship Between Crime and Gaming Expenditure in Victoria. The Age:
Opposition gaming spokesman Michael O’Brien strongly criticised the Brumby government for its delay in releasing the report, which was quietly uploaded on a government website last month after the report was completed in October. It was appalling that the government had ”covered up this important research”, Mr O’Brien said.
Government spokeswoman Rebecca Harrison said the release of the report was delayed to give the authors a chance to publish their findings in peer reviewed journals first.
Canada faces the same problem of delayed and buried research which doesn’t make it into the public realm. 3 single incidences in 3 provinces were highlighted here. In Australia, police want to talk to the study authors:
Victoria Police said it planned to contact the authors of the report ”to fully understand the implications of this current research and identify future areas of research”.
The deputy chairman of the Criminal Bar Association of Victoria, Michael O’Connell, SC, said the results of the report linking gaming machine spending to crime rates ”were not surprising given anecdotal experience”.
The relationship between crime, gambling, sentencing and treatment is complex and unapplied and unavailable research does not serve the public good.
Criminologist Julian Bondy, of RMIT University, said there had been a great deal of academic research on the link between gambling and crime.
”There are all kinds of relationships that have been demonstrated - for example, a simple one is to do with localised crime rates and gambling.”
Former barrister Tim Falkiner briefed the Bar Association in 2008 on arguments that should be considered when sentencing gaming-machine problem gamblers who had committed an offence.
”Bearing in mind what we now know about gaming machines, the question must be asked why should the courts use such a clumsy, harsh, expensive and unreliable mechanism of heavy sentences and imprisonment when the government could so easily take action to make the machines safer,” he said.
Bill Clark7/23/2010: The Relationship Between crime and Gaming Expenditure in Victoria
Researchers in Victoria say they have found a “strong and robust” evidence of a link between spending on pokies and the incidence of “income-generating” crimes such as theft, robbery, fraud and handling stolen goods.
The findings, which have been quietly posted on the Department of Justice website, add weight to long-held assumptions about the incidence of problem gamblers turning to crime to feed their habits.
…They concluded that only drug offences had a stronger link to crime than poker machines.
The report by University of South Australia researchers, found evidence of a ”positive and significant link between gaming expenditure and crime” in Victoria across three different years - 1996, 2001 and 2006.
The Relationship Between Crime and Gaming Expenditure in Victoria
County Court Judge Roland Williams -
questioned at the time ”how a so-called civilised society can allow and offer the mindless operation of poker machines to witless members of the public under the euphemism of gaming and entertainment is no doubt a question for the sociologists of this world”.
12/15/2008: Australian sues casino
An Australian gambler who lost millions in a A$1.4 billion ($909 million) gaming spree is suing one of the country’s largest casinos, claiming he was targeted by managers despite a known gambling addiction.
In a case which lawyers say could have implications stretching to China, gambling addict Harry Kakavas is suing Crown Casino in Melbourne for A$50 million damages after a mammoth 14-month baccarat binge in which he lost A$37 million.
At the time in 2007, property developer Kakavas had been barred from every casino in Australia.
Kakavas, who had been self-excluded since 2004, wore a hidden tape recorder and is alleged to have taped the Australian Crown Casino staff attempting to lure him back to the tables. Crown owner, James Packer has expanded his casino operations into Asia and the company reports profits of 370 million (Australian).
Crown Chief Executive Rowen Craigie and Chief Operating Officer John Williams face accusations of unconscionable conduct while in charge of Crown, which this month reported revenue from table games and gaming machines up 4 percent as Packer looks to expand in Macau.
12/8/2008: Notice for Slots Players by makers of slot machines
Gaming chief admit odds against pokie players Australia
December 07, 2008 Laurie Nowell The News
PLAYING pokies (slots) is a mug’s game — and even the industry itself has finally admitted the odds are stacked against the punters.
New data released by the Gaming Technology Association reveals the longer you play poker machines in a single session, the less likely you are to win.
Research shows about 31 per cent of players investing 2000 units, or coins,
can expect to win back more than they bet — but only 24 per cent of punters investing 5000 units will come out ahead.
And just 16 per cent of those gambling 10,000 units can expect to walk away with a profit.
Overall, the return to players is about 90 in every dollar put into a machine, according to the data.
“Your chance of winning a prize on each line of a game is about one in 10, or,
you have a nine in 10 chance of not winning,”
the GTA’s online guide says.
The likelihood of winning a prize more than 500 times the stake is one in 10,000, it says.
“It is important to understand that gaming machines are not designed to make you money on a regular or long-term basis. In fact, you should expect to lose money.
“Mathematical probability proves you can’t apply any form of skill to beat a game that uses a random number generator.
“The more you play, the less likely you are to win.”
GTA chief executive Ross Ferrar said the guide was the machine manufacturers’ response to calls for improved information about gaming machines. It also sets out tips for gamblers:
* Set yourself limits. Don’t bet money you can’t afford to lose.
* Keep a record of your wins and losses so you know how much you have spent.
* Drink alcohol in moderation while you are playing.
* Keep your winnings.
See related articles in the category on the left sidebar: Australia, Wisdom and its absence by bill clark
Re: “Notice for Slots Players by makers of slot machines”
The combination of addiction and financial losses does make suicide a logical way out.
bill clark6/16/2008: Australians March against pokies
This Silent Scream March in Australia is being held to protest VLT’s and the lack of resources for problem gamblers.
Problem gamblers, counsellors, clinicians, researchers, activists and members of the public, your anonymity is assured!
No Pokies Senator Nick Xenophon, and Fairfield City Councillor Thang Ngo will be joining us on the day.
Come and meet them.World Vision CEO Tim Costello, NSW Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon and Family First
Senator Steve Fielding have been invited and (schedules permitting) will join us on the day and speak with the marchers.Thank you for helping make this day, one the government will be unable to ignore!
When: Sunday August 24th, 2008
Where: Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour, Sydney
Gather: 10:30 am
March begins at 11:30
Contact: nellgwyn55 (at) bigpond (dot) com
4/21/2008: Tasmania Gambling study will be peer reviewed
The Tamania government study on gambling will be going through an independent peer review before being released. The study is being done for South Australian Centre for Economic Studies.
Australian Broadcasting Corportation
New crisis centre helps gambling addicts
Victorians pushed to the edge of suicide by poker machine debts are being treated at Australia’s first crisis service for depressed gambling addicts.
The pioneering program at Melbourne’s The Alfred hospital diverts suicidal gamblers from a hospital emergency department into specialised treatment, The Age reported on Saturday.
Most did not have mental health problems until they started playing the pokies. But some were using the machines to “zone out” and relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety.
The crisis service was set up after research found 71 suicidal people visiting The Alfred’s emergency department over six months were problem gamblers.
8/9/2007: Pokies and theft go hand in hand
THE use of poker machines has for the first time been linked to increases in crimes such as robbery, theft, fraud and forgery in Australia.
The results of a study by South Australian researchers published in the latest international Journal of Gambling Studies show the rate of “income-generating” crime was higher in areas of heavy expenditure on gaming machines.
The levels of “non-income-generating” crimes, such as assaults, public disorder and vandalism, did not show an increase.
The researchers from the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia said their findings “provide some cause for concern” about the numbers of locations of gaming machines.
“In this study, gaming machine expenditure was found to influence positively and significantly income-generating recorded crime rates in local areas in South Australia,” the study said.
The concentration of gaming machines in socio-economically disadvantaged areas “may add disproportionately to their already significant social problems”, it said.
Until now there had been much conjecture about whether gambling was linked to crime.
Parts of the Journal of Gambling Studies can be accessed through Springer or through Google Scholar
6/13/2007: Australia - Seniors residences on casino sites
Pokie Palaces move into aged care
The chief executive officer of Dee Why RSL, Grant Easterby, said the the club had 145 people on a waiting list for 93 seniors’ units, which would be right next door to the club. He hoped it would increase patronage.
“We believe it will be profitable,” he said, but added: “I think the days are gone where the poker machines will subsidise everything. We can generate revenue on an ongoing basis which allows us to reinvest back into the club and the community.”
Clubs NSW said clubs were already subject to responsible gambling provisions and many were already located close to homes. The industry said it had not lobbied the Government for the change.
Figures from the Department of Gaming and Racing show that at least 260 registered clubs have closed in NSW in the past 10 years, almost 30 of those in the CBD. While poker machine revenue grew by 6.2 per cent for inner city hotels in the past year, the gambling revenue for inner city clubs grew by just 0.1 per cent.
Under the proposed new laws, club land would have to pass a site compatibility test to ensure the development fitted with local environmental planning laws. Clubs would still need to submit a development application.
Rob Lynch, an expert in leisure sport and tourism at the University of Technology, Sydney, said that while clubs provide valuable community services, “they also raise a lot of revenue for themselves and for the government through gambling”.
Perhaps the poker machines could spit out meal tickets occasionally? Just one meal ticket a day should be enough. A ticket for boiled potatoes and carrots, and a choice of desicated fish or rissoles, and some strong tea or coffee, so they can gamble away their retirement years without losing focus, or too much weight.
Dee Why RSL, and a number of other NSW clubs, already run “senior units”.
The government ignored the plummeting availability of housing for elderly people until it reached a crisis point, and now claims it has no choice but to allow the widespread privatisation of caring for those who cannot care for themselves, or afford to live in their own homes.
5/31/2007: Autralia offers help for problem gamblers
A NEW counselling service in Healesville and Yarra Junction is offering assistance to people affected by problem gambling.
Eastern Access Community Health (EACH) has operated the service in Lilydale for several years and with a full-time counsellor dealing with a case-load of between 40 and 50 people at any one time there was seen to be a demonstrated need for extending the service to Healesville and Yarra Junction.
Susan Jenkin, an experienced drug and alcohol counsellor, is now tackling the issues which manifest themselves in problem gambling.
She said while there are more than 14 legal ways to gamble in Victoria, nearly all the problem gamblers they see are related to pokies.
Healesville and Yarra Junction each have pokies venues at their local RSL sub-branches.
Ms Jenkin said problems gamblers have traditionally been in the 30 to 50 and 65 years plus age groups, but there is an increasing trend towards younger people coming in for help.
“By the time they come in for counselling extraordinary levels of damage have been done,” Ms Jenkin said.
“Many of them are aware they have a problem five or six years earlier but are reluctant to seek help because of the shame and the stigma.”
Her advice to problem gamblers is “if you’re not sure whether or not you have a problem, get on to it early before things get too bad”.
No reader comments yet - add yours See related articles: Activism, Addiction and Recovery, Australia, General 
Administrator11/1/2005: Australia
With the Melbourne Cup just ended some quick facts about gambling in Australia:
…The average Australian now spends about $17 a week on gambling, which is 3.5 per cent of the average household budget.
…And the increase in spending on gambling still has legs, growing by 5.5 per cent in the past year when total household consumption only grew by 3.3 per cent.
…Of the $17 Aussie’s punted each week, only $2 was put on the races with the bulk spent on lotto, pools, poker machines and in casinos…
