Queenslanders sinking more into poker machines than ever before

THE Queensland Government has been warned it is facing a “significantly concerning” crisis as new data reveals a record $3.93 billion was gambled away last year — with up to 75 per cent of that in poker machines.

EXPERTS have warned Queensland is facing a “significantly concerning” gambling crisis as new data reveals almost $4 billion was gambled away last year, the most in the state’s history.

Almost 60 per cent of the $3.93 billion gambled in 2017 was put through poker machines but researcher Charles Livingstone said the real percentage could be as high as 75 per cent, with a large portion of the $731 million spent at casinos also spent on the pokies.

Dr Livingstone, a Monash University gambling researcher, said the growth in pokie machine expenditure was damaging the state’s economy and tearing families apart.

Gambling addiction expert Charles Livingstone says poker machines are damaging the state’s economy. Picture: Richard Jupe

“If I was the Queensland Government I’d be worried about the likely increase in harm associated with this growth,” Dr Livingstone said.

“We’re looking at phenomenal growth in poker machine use both in real terms and as a share of the total.

“It’s significant worry given the pokies are widespread throughout Queensland up and down the coast throughout all of the Outback.”

Gambling expenditure increased by more than $63 million in 2017, with $2.3 billion spent on poker machines, $731 million at casinos, $425 million on the lottery, $347 million on wagering and $96 million on keno.

“Harm from pokie machines we now know is broadly equivalent to the level of harm from alcohol misuse and abuse and the cost of it is astronomical,” Dr Livingstone said.

“The harms associated are so widespread — financial ruin, loss of major assets like houses and cars, divorce, neglect of children, mental and physical health issues, domestic violence, crime and in extreme cases, suicide.

Experts say about 80 per cent of people seeking help for gambling problems are addicted to poker machines.

“If you spend $1 million on the pokies you create about three jobs, whereas if you spend $1 million in the restaurant industry you create about 20 jobs so you’re really looking at quite a diversion of economic resources into a fairly unproductive activity.”

Salvation Army Recovery Services operations manager Gerrard Byrne said about 80 per cent of people looking for gambling help had problems with poker machines.

“We certainly have seen a steady increase in relation to people who have problems with gambling and the majority of those people are experiencing problems in relation to poker machines,” he said.

“The issues they bring to us are the broader impacts of the gambling on not only them but their families as well.”