Pokies cost more than millions

Kim Booth Press Release

$30 Million Loss Hurts Everyone …
THE Tasmanian Greens today expressed their concern over yet another record turnover figure concerning Electronic Gaming Machines (EGMs) revealed by a Freedom of Information search undertaken by the anti gambling group Duty of Care and have called on the government to undertake a detailed, independent, region by region analysis of the social, health and economic impacts of the scourge of pokies in pubs and clubs.

Greens Shadow Racing and Gaming spokesperson Kim Booth MHA said that the breakdown by municipality, which added up to a total of $946 080 542 within the last financial year, represented a constant draining of disposable income in the regional areas that needed it most and not only led to pressure on small and medium businesses but produced the crippling hidden costs of family breakdown, bankruptcy, crime and illness which go hand in hand with those affected by problem gambling.

“Pokies were introduced into the social hub of city and regional areas, right into the pubs and clubs where people gather and it is a bitter harvest we are now reaping with the staggering losses ripping dollars from individuals and businesses and problem gambling tearing apart the lives of friends, family and businesses,” Mr Booth said.

“Launceston alone has a turnover of nearly $150 million a year and even putting the very best return to player figures on that amount of money would see $30 million lost a year.”

“$30 million that could have rolled on throughout the region in domestic tourism, recreation, meals in restaurants, employing tradespeople and using services and investing in business.”

“The Greens have long opposed the continuing rollout of these machines and in particular the extension of the monopoly to Federal Hotels granted by the government back in 2003, in a secret deal negotiated five years before the previous deal ran out, which gave a further monopoly for 15 years to Federal, and also allowed a rollout of another 287 poker machines which they dressed up as a ‘cap’.”

“It’s time this gambling addicted government added up the social and economic pain caused by pokies and made that information publicly available so that people could decide once and for all if these machines are should be allowed in pubs and clubs or should be kept inside Casinos where we feel they belong,” Mr Booth said.

The TT analysis: HERE