Investigating Australia's gambling addiction | 101 East Documentary
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- Опубліковано 15 бер 2023
- Australians are the world’s biggest gamblers, losing $25bn a year. And poker machines are their preferred choice of poison.
Despite its relatively small population, the country is home to 20 percent of the world’s "pokies", as the machines are known locally, with most found in community pubs and clubs.
Gambling causes widespread social destruction, but taking on the vested interests behind an industry that generates billions in profits and taxes has proved extremely difficult.
Now, after decades of failure, state governments are fighting back.
101 East investigates Australia’s battle against gambling addiction.
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This video is very meaningful 💖💜
What year was this ?
It's worse now.
My father was a gambling addict. Lied about needing to stay late at work for over 5 years while he blew $250,000 that he got on a line of credit against our home. He attempted to take his life when we found out. Stay away from the casino kids. My story is one of many
What happened did you lose the house ? I hope he wasn’t successful in taking his life
@@joshJ.he clearly said “attempted”.
WOW!! That’s crazy, so if he didn’t pay it back the casino would take the house? Or the bank?
@@cvgodd1432who ever was the creditor. He used the house as collateral. So if he couldn't repay they had an agreed value asset to recoup their money.
I hope you and your family didn’t lose your home. And your father goes to meetings or something…. All the best
I'm a gambling addict I gamble my wages every week until I have nothing it's ruined my life for past few years but my last gambling day was 05/April/2023 I will RECOVER and fix my life
good luck
Prayed for you.....xo
You will be ok. Just never go back. Relapse always hits 100x harder.
yes you will
Hope your going strong💪🏾
i used to loose around 800.00 one visit a week going to the casino a few blocks away, then i adopted an Australian sheppard from Pet Rescue and that turned my life around knowing i had someone that depends on me.
Great story ❤ thank you 😁
Well done you have saved 2 lives 😊
Very good 😊
My dear departed wife was an addict she turned from a lovely hard working wonderful person to a thief, liar and cheat. She handled the finances and it wasn't until she departed that I found no money in our accounts, loans taken out without my knowledge and about $60,000 in debts which took me three years to clear. These machines are a blight and they need to be banned. People say we should have a choice but when you live with and addict and lose everything you worked for and have to work ten years past retirement you then will understand the damage these machines do.
I am sorry for your wife and your loss. Poor woman! And poor you dealing with it after her departure. Many of these slot machines in the US are made in Australia. They keep spreading their machines to the rest of the world. I know it is not a core of a problem but it is something this country is associated with in my mind.
I had the same with my ex ..emptied my bank account, took loans out everywhere, credit cards galore all maxed out. That was the end of us. I couldn't live like that.
we are just the tip of the ice berg@@soniadowney7427
We are sorry for your loss.
Yeah im in the same boat! Waiting to have dinner and spend time with gf! Phone calls me asks do you mind if I go to the Casino! middle finger 🖕
My husband is a gambler.. currently all our bank accounts are overdrawn, financial security does not exist. It is a terrible dis-ease that breaks everyone’s hearts 😢
You need to leave him.
I'm so grateful to see this report. I live in the US & am a compulsive gambler. I'm the last person everyone who knows me would think I could get addicted....but, I did. Lost tons, refinanced home, took loans & lost savings. 6 mos ago I signed voluntary self-exclusion when I knew my gambling was escalating. Luckily, I hadn't lost everything. My exclusions ends in 6 mos (3rd time I did it) & I will not go back. I'm too old & alone to go broke. Thank you for all these stories. 🙏🙏
So if you tried to go in they would ask you out??
If u want i can lend you a couple of bucks so you can go back and gamble
@@Superrayjunwyou’re a nice person
@@Superrayjunw 😂LOLOLO😂🥳
@@SuperrayjunwNot funny mate, there's a time and a place. You think you can say these things because no one on the internet can punch you in your face, but you keep going on like this and you'll gain a false sense of confidence that'll get you hurt in real life.
I'm almost one year into my recovery. I've been gambling for 15 years. Life is so much beautiful right now. If you have a gambling problem , please get help.
How did you do it ?
@@funniestvideos6969 Cold Turkey, it worked for me, but I wouldn't recommend it. Get professional help.
Quit drinking cold turkey. Better now.😎
A friend of mine lost his entire paycheck gambling. He was visibly stressed and worried about telling his wife.
He had a heart attack on his way home. He was 42 years old. RIP my friend.
Too young to die..RIP...🙏
That is so sad - I feel for him
That is very very sad
Omg how horrible.
♥️♥️♥️
My addicted gambling friend took his own life at 43 years old. Left behind a 13 yr old daughter, sister and parents who will grieve the remainder of their lives.😢 Do not ever think that you can control your gambling habit. You will ruin your life and those loved ones that care about you! Please stop gambling or never start!!
Pff
I have worked as a financial counselor in Australia and i would say about 50% of my clients exprienced financial hardship because of gambling and i noticed that gambling and domestic violence go together . But the government keeps funding support services without addressing the root cause of the issue . Now i have started seeing people who bet incredible amounts online . its crazy .
Online gambling is much worse, they can reach every house every population and every mobile phones and people can gamble 24hours, no sleep!
It's deliberate that they don't tackle the root cause. Corruption, for the tax revenue etc & it's easy to do a little social services & pretend you're trying. Very, very Very sad.
Australian government criminal.
It's cleaning up $$ with problem gamblers and most are the ones that can least afford it.
I guarantee the government gets back 60% + of dole and pension money before lunch time on payday . Poker machine addiction can be stored tomorrow easily by making the machines illegal. How many people die each year related to this addiction.
If it was a drug it would be banned and made illegal.
What is the root cause?
Here in the US many states have legalized ONLINE casino gambling within the past few years. You can literally gamble away everything from your phone or laptop. I think we'll soon start seeing the results. It was one thing when you had to physically go to a casino to gamble, but having one in your pocket 24/7 is going to make things worse, I fear.
I live with a gambler, and it is excruciating at times. We know that at any given moment, we could be homeless, and the time spent gambling has ruined relationships.
I am so sad for those families who have to go through this.
People, the key is *never* gambling in the first place. Tell your kids to *never* start gambling in the first place. Tell them that no matter how mentally strong they think they are, every gambling addict thought that about themselves initially. No one thought they'd be hooked.
This especially applies to people with ADHD.
Gambling never did it for me. I've gambled once in a casino out of boredom with a friend, lost maybe 10$. There was no excitement. No dopamine rush. Maybe because I don't care about money beyond what I need to eat and sleep.
That’s the same with all addictions, like with drugs, alcohol or gambling .
@@eustab.anas-mann9510 I sometimes think it comes down to genetics - the tendency to get addicted or not to certain things.
@@elipotter369 Perhaps. I used to be addicted to opioids and still am to nicotine gum, yet somehow alcohol, caffeine and gambling have never given me pleasant feelings. To each their own I guess.
I've tried smoking, marajuana, alcohol, gambling.....
All bores me and not enticing lol. I think I've lost maybe $20 in penny slots. First / last time I'll ever gamble lolololol
Honest, I don't see the appeal of any of the above
My Mother was a pokie gambler for years.....After my Father died from cancer in 1998, he left a house, 2 cars, and 180,000 in cash.....My Mother systematically gambled that cash, sold the house, sold the cars, then gambled away the proceeds of those sales, then on receiving $280,000 from her Father's estate, gambled that away in 4 months.....My Father specifically stated that my 4 siblings and I would inherit the family home but she didn't care, she just sold it anyway and that went on the machines.....She never had any remorse for her actions and with the advent of her death, purely from funeral insurance, we all received the princely sum of $600 each.....None of us cared about inheritances but to watch someone splurging everything on a machine with rotating reels was hard to fathom......She once told me that it wasn't the money to be won, but watching the pretty spinning and flashing everything, with a win being a bonus.
🙏💔
humans are psychologically attracted to bright, colourful lights (another example is christmas trees) ... and money. Those machines are designed a particular way to attract people.
Wow...she had it bad. I feel bad for you and your family.
Same here mate... At age 13 in the late 70's, I earned around $30 a week in a part time job.. My mother would collect my salary and head straight to the RSL... It is shameful what people do to their families.
As a regular gambler I’ve noticed that 75% of slot machine addicts are women. Many tend to be overweight as well and have other addictions like smoking and drinking.
Had a colleague who was a former poker machine addict in the Netherlands, but luckily he had managed to get out with support from his family. I also have an acquaintance who spent 5 years in prison for embezzlement to support her addiction (card gambling). This is a world wide problem.
It is a world wide problem for sure. Australia's issue is so big though because there are more poker machines in my state alone, than any other country. We come second only to Nevada and as I said that's just my state of NSW, it doesn't include the whole country. Also everytime to turn the TV on you see constant gambling advertisements which I believe is banned in many countries...??
Oh yea 100% go look at those Asian countries and the amount they gamble will make you sick. They just never go to therapy or call hotlines for help. Asians have a better attitude about losing tons of money. For them it’s like I tried to win money but I lost, and I moved on. That simple, you can’t think what if. That’s what causes depression and suicidal tendencies. I’m sure a lot of them commit suicide because of gambling but Asian countries hide things like that. They’ll just say he was a sad old man who was depressed.
I'm a 32 Year Old gambling addict I gamble my wages every week. Lost $35,000 of my Savings. Lost concentration on my job. Last week I got formal warning about not meeting my Sales Target... $8,000.00 Credit Card Debt. No GF, no saving simply no hope. I have won $900 one night feeling happy only to loss $1000 following day...
I had not put any money in a poker machine for over 40 years.
yesterday i put $1 in and won the biggest jackpot ever...nothing !. I won nothing and walked away...
absolute filth in every town preying on the old, the lonely, the broke and the desperate. Should be illegal and banned, not moderated.
I am a recovering alcoholic It will always be there
I gave up in 2011 with no help from anyone except myself
I had a relapse when my mother died but soon nipped that in the bud
You can only do it if you yourself wants to
You have to do it yourself the same as every other addiction out there....sadly
Good job, never go back. Alcohol really is evil stuff in so many ways, it has no redeeming features.
Love 101 East series! Thank you Al Jazeera for these captivating documentaries. Huge fan!
Thanks for your comment, dear Jason. We're delighted you liked it. 🙌
I’m a mental health therapist for 35 years here in the US and just received a certificate in treating gambling addiction. All the research data came from Australia where we were informed have all the most recent experience in the treatment of gambling addiction. It’s such a devastating disorder. It literally keeps taking from you until you’re dead or get treatment.
Very eye opening. Addiction is so destructable..Thankyou for the hard facts. 🙏
I hate that people make excuses. It's a gateway for people to get off of goal sentences
Gambling destroyed my life, I moved around different cities in North America but would always find myself having easy access to casinos. Lost hundreds of thousands of dollars, i never bothered tallying it up because i knew it would make me sick for days. I packed up my bags and moved to the middle east, been 3 years gambling free, its illegal here. Best decision of my life!
it is a baffling addiction (especially sports gambling). Food addiction and drug/alcohol addiciton I can understand in some cases (especially food addiction because you have to eat, and drugs for some people who have acute chronic pain). but with gambling I was told some people WANT to lose, it triggers some strange reaction in their mind. One time, I went through this instance with slot machines, I had just lost my job and had some money saved but was concerned about future, so I went to casino and did the high stakes slots, I kept feeding the machine trying to win my money back and lost about $700 (but I was a captive prisoner since I took the bus to the casino I had to stay there until It was leaving, and they set up these casino's there is nothing else to do (that is why they give out free food, so once you are full you have to go back into the casino). but with sports gambling, I don't get why people always think they have a winning 'system', after a couple months of losing you would think people would wake up and quit for good (even the small percentage of successful sports gamblers often the bookmakers will stop taking your bets if you win too much, so the system is rigged). Years ago when slot machines accepted 0.25 coins/quarters I had developed a 'winning' system to make a few hundred dollars because I would pace myself, I calculated the winning percentage on machines and I would play really slow (watching other slot players around me to see how much money they were they were putting in). Once someone put in $60 or more into a slot machine and walked away, I would switch to that machine. I would play at a specific pace and once I made more money then I put into the machine (like $20). I would move on and repeat, in a couple hours i could win at least $200 or more (if I stuck to my method and didn't try to get greedy). But once Casinos switched to using Jackpots that only accepted credits using a plastic casino credit cards (no more coins), my system no longer worked. Also the casino was far from my house, so it wouldn't have been practical to do this long term, and I realized when casino security caught on to what I was doing, I am sure they would have come up with an excuse to just kick me out permanently.
Reminds me of the obsession with guns in the USA. Americans seem incapable of reason in their fetishism of guns thanks to the powerful lobby of the NRA.
I'm starting to think that being addicted to something is part of being human. Not a good part, but a part.
A stupid part!
My Mum was a gambler and thought she was cleverly hiding it and she didn't look like a bogan.. She left a reverse mortgage on the house after forging my Dad's signature. He only found out after she died. I sold my house and paid it off before the scum bank could get any more money. I look after him now, but don't think as much of my Mum as I should. He's a bit broken, but has managed to forget that part.
Extremely sad and I don't think it's a rare case .I think just about every family has experienced the horror this industry is causing including my own . My mother's step father drove off a jetty into the ocean
Try to see your mother as a very sick person, it may put some perspective on her actions??
Her actions were wrong, but hate the sickness, not the patient?
It's not fair, purposely addicting innocent people to line the pockets of corrupt politicians.
I'm sorry about that.
Your father is blessed to have a good son. Well done, mate
I love the justification, we have over 700 pokie machines... but look! We built a swimming pool for the up and coming gambling addicts! It is genuinely disturbing how he can say that with a straight face or be happy to say it openly on camera
Well, how about individuals taking personal responsibility for their addiction.
@@carpediem4512 you have no idea how addiction works on the basis of that statement
To be honest it’s not a complete one way show. People are not forced to go into these venues, they make the choice to go in there! They also need to be responsible
@@carpediem4512 Addiction of any kind is a disease, beyond human control and made worse by enablers around the addicts life and compounded by other kinds of addictions. Double triple threats..lead to fights, suicide, murder, embezzlement, divorce, debts, broken society.
@@shykur You obviously are clueless about addiction. Gambling is just like drugs and alcohol.
I have an addictive personality and have always made an effort to stay away from gambling. It's probably on par with drugs in terms of how destructive it can be to families.
Very attractive young woman I regularly encountered at a retail outlet. Over the years, I noticed that she’d lost that glow and wondered what was happening in her life. I then worked in one of these sports clubs for a while. Found out what her problem was. Really tragic. You see the same faces, coming in, every day. These clubs open very early-8-8:30 am. Many with gambling issues will arrive when the doors open. Clubs should take some responsibility and work to help people with their addictions.
They should but they wont and will revolt if they are forced by the government! Gambling lobbyists as powerful as the gun, alcohol, tobbacco, pharmaceutical lobbyists and the medical association is. 😢
@@notimetodienttd1115 we’ll see how the current exposure of their dirty tricks plays out. Nothing like fresh air for cleaning out the trash. Not that all problems will be solved but hopefully we will see some improvement.
The casinos in California are open 24/7.
@@lewisc9959 I have watched stuff about them. Louis Theroux did a documentary on the regulars. Are they everywhere though? This is the thing in Australia. Even quite small towns will have some sort of sports and recreation clubs, maybe more than one. Laws differ from state to state. I don’t know if other states allow gambling in the same way NSW does. Some definitely do not.
Gambling, drugs and alcohol share the same addictive characteristics. Australia has huge problems with all three.
Gambling is most disastrous Drug
I live in Australia , poker machines are everywhere and are a manufactured scourge that numerous governments have deliberately allowed, encouraged and profited from. This era of Australian history will be remembered for as a government sponsored criminal enterprise by future generations.
A month ago I had some spare cash ($20) in my wallet and decided to play pokies. I haven’t played them in about 5 years. I noticed the gaming room was a familiar sight resembling all gaming lounges in Australia. Full of older, malnourished , sad looking people with obvious health disorders. As was customary I went to the bar in the gaming lounge to exchange my $20 note for $20 in coins. I was shocked to learn that they no longer accept coins and now only accept cash and bank cards. This made me feel sick .
Within 5 minutes I had lost it all and walked out feeling disgusted . I will probably never play them again. It is a scam .
I am a qualified lesbian too
As a single man working in the mines, i used to leave a spare bank card at my parents place to pay any of my bills that came in.
I found out (due to my Aunty's death), that my Mum had been taking thousands out of my bank account (my fault that i didnt check it often), and after going through the bank statements- she took to the tune of $25,000 AUD from me.
About the only gambling i do is spend my $13 a week to play lotto- sure, i may be addicted to that, but i dont feel the need to sit at machine that is one sided towards the club, and if i dont put my numbers on- it doesnt bother me.
Few of my old work mates lost their family & home because of gambling
I used to go out dancing every week, but that was a long time ago. The pokies took over every dance floor in the country.
Australia is a funny place. Can't smoke a joint, but you can place a bet any time of the day or night.
Hugh divide.
I have a serious gambling problem. I also find it ridiculous the UK gambling commission believe only 0.2% of gamblers are "problem" gamblers. Give anyone a decent win on a slot machine and they'll keep going back to it and develop a "problem" imo.
My dad gambled away about 250,000. He was an alcoholic war veteran and spent all his time in the pub.
Thats really sad and heartbreaking to see your own family in such situation...💕🙏
Good for him , I suppose nobody care about him
@@cat-alina8139 geez. You’re a peach. 😒
Working in a pokie room is the most depressing experience I have ever experienced.
They're absolutely grim. The fact they call them VIP rooms is comical.
I used to work a pokie room and I farted sway 180000 😢
They should only be in casino's and some clubs here, it's ridiculous they're in every pub in Australia now
Not in Western Australia. Pokies are only allowed at the Casino.
@@Dru1111 Ahhhh...Perth....Australia's retirement village..
Sadly they wana reach every population every bar every home every mobile phone..to make everyone a compulsive gambler..😢
I agree! It's too assessable for people in low paying jobs. Needs to be more regulation around them and where to have them.
@@Dru1111 that's a good thing, they're everywhere in NSW, it's ridiculous, hopefully they change it but doubt it with the takes earned
Before those disgusting things arrived on the scene we had dances...until they covered ALL the dance floors with poker machines all over the country. That was the end of the entertainment era.
I have been free of online slot machine gambling addiction for 10 years now but I still fight the urge to gamble every single day . I gambled away 200 thousand pounds which is when I knew I had to stop . It’s not true that not everyone has a gambling addiction that play slot machines , they just know if they admit it the casinos will ban them for life .
Congratulations on breaking your addiction 🎉🎉
Hi Valerie. Sorry to hear about your addiction. I too fight the online casino urge everyday. I waste a bunch of money, get depressed then tell them online that im addicted. Some wait for me to waste more before they ban me. Im trying to get help now.
I bet you they won’t. Come on the odds are good. TAKE THE BET.
I hope you're still doing good.
For many, gambling is a form of escape. There are thousands of free slot/gambling sights through apps and computer programs. It's not playing with real money and the only thing lost is time. The first step to recovery is realizing if you truly have a problem. Next, take a break for three+ weeks and leave the area. Time and distance helps. I found when I allowed my mind to rest and take in other places and experiences, it helped me re-prioritize my life. Not a fix for all but helped. Take up new hobbies, change jobs and move if you have too. I'd rather be somewhere else than lose my life to machines. Hope that helps...
I am a qualified lesbian too
Sound advice
@ijustdidahgeshit ok can u be gay elsewhere or win or lose because of it or u want to be grabbed by the p*ssy by trump 😊
Gambling Addiction is dangerous I bet on sports and greyhounds I also play the pokies I am trying to quit I have left myself broke because of this living pay check to pay check and and always paying back debts im almost 40 years old and decided enough is enough I am watching these videos as a reminder how bad this can be and reading the comments helps me with my personal recovery.
remember that those machines r rigged, so u just cant win in the long run.
Mate, I know too well how that seemingly harmless first try as a young adult can affect your whole life. All I suggest to anyone in that situation is to try and get through one day at a time without gambling, remove risky environments from your routine and accept the fact that you will never be able to have an ok relationship with gambling. You will never recoup the losses and harm that gambling has caused in your life, but a good life is still possible even if you can't see how at the moment.
Thanks Leigh,
I am just feeling very lonely as I been gambling for so long majority or nearly all the time I lose I wish I could start my life over again to be honest I also am now in debt due to my gambling
Hey mate i"m 36 i know the feeling you have at the moment. I stopped for several years after a massive binge....I started again with world cup had some small wins. have to stop again. Since the start of the year been playing pokies often high stakes. Been there overcome it I can do it you can do it to mate hang in there. Accept the money is gone try not to dwell on it and focus on positive steps to change. I'm sure you can change hang in there bro
Thanks mate I feel always anxious as I get paid on 15th I am praying I don’t get fined or any big bills come through I also bet on the World Cup as well but whatever I win I always put it back in hope you can continue recovery as well mate I know how dangerous pokies are I have put so much money through over the years even when I won 14k most went back in it’s like we are gambling for the excitement more then the winning
This lady said she might win some money. You cannot win, because if you could win, the casinos could not be open. !!!
Those machines are very addictive! This dude who owned a convenience store had a illegal one in his back room. Me and my dad would go play for a couple hours after work. After a while my dad would be there for 4 hrs at a time and leaving me at work 😂. It was little money but if they didn’t take those machines away I could see myself increasing the bets and playing for hrs! My dad always been a gambler but he’s not stupid with money. My mom would kill him anyways so he knows better, he won a big amount in the 80s in Portugal. Bought a house cash in a very nice neighborhood in Portugal. After that he hasn’t gone a week without buying scratch tickets or playing the numbers. He’s been chasing that win for almost 40 years now and he never won more than like 2000 bucks. I completely quit gambling, no scratch tickets, no betting on sports, no poker and I have a casino 10 mins from my house. I just know myself, once I’m hooked it will take years for me to stop. I always tell myself, my weed habit is expensive enough and the last thing I need is a gambling habit!
Alot of retired people gamble their money away
"I'm not addicted to gambling. Don't be ridiculous, I'm addicted to hope!" - Norm MacDonald
Gambling is a very dangerous thing. Poker machines should only exist in casinos
Excellent documentary 👍 Congratulations... Stay strong 💪 Love from Ireland 🇮🇪
Pokies, smoking, drinking and drugs are never going away. Money rules all business owners. Only a miracle will stop all this.
This is a sad and really well presented story… so important in Australia now more than ever
A few of my close family members, on both sides of my family, had gambling addictions. This was a better documentary about gambling than I have seen out there because it talks about two things others don't: the government and the gambling industry.
I am a qualified lesbian too
@@ijustdidahugeshitok so gambling is lesbian? or turns u gay
@@Breeze-gd8wj I am a woman
thank you for this video!!
So the Dr is there at an event to talk about Suicide Prevention and yet she refuses to talk about how gambling and addiction could lead to suicide. What a total hypocrite, that Club is obviously lining her pockets. Disgusting
My late father was the manager of major hotel on Miami Beach in the early 80s. At that time Miami Beach was like a tropical Detroit. The city was dead and there was a move to legalize Casino gambling on Miami Beach. The city rejected it feeling it would fuel organized crime.
I think gambling has to be one of the most destructive addictions in many ways because it’s so easy to do and easy to not do…which is exactly what makes it so dangerous
The only time it’s easy not to do is when you’re broke
Thank you For your information very helpful ❤
these 3 people should be very proud of themselves, they are very strong people. i wish them all of the best and strength and courage.
Pokies belong in the casino not at every pub and club in every suburb!
I heard about poker machines in supermarkets here in the US.
@@msmaria5039 omg
@@kpfashkpfash That's in Reno, Nevada. Here we have scratch off tickets machines and once a week we have the vendor handing out free tickets as samples.
The worst thing you can do in a casino is win!!! How true
If you cherish misery and low self worth, topped off by huge depression, then gambling is right up your alley.
I have a friend who blew 300K gambling. He still insists he is a good gambler. Ego.
I finally quit after losing 240k in basically all my retirement money and also racked up 20k in cash advances that im still paying off. I am full of anxiety all of the time trying to get ahead. I had it made.
Stay positive my brother
May God bless you and your family
🙏
What a relief to see more critical reports coming out about Australia. For so long it has felt like the world just saw the sunny, easy-going country with wealth and natural beauty. It's like the world had bought into the Australian myth. Reality is, there is a hell of a lot of problems, corruption and criminality of which this is only one example.
Always peek under the veil
It's not really corrupt or criminal? It's perfectly legal nationwide and due to the fact it brings in billions in tax dollars no government wants to change it. It's similar to smoking or other addictions and Australia is a good country for people who love to gamble 24/7.
What is sad is not so much how much money people lose but rather that they have nothing better to do with their spare time than sit at one of these machines putting coins in and pushing buttons. How boring their lives must be.
That's a very one dimensional way of seeing problem gambling. Sadly you have no insight into it or empathy.
We took our son to live in Oz for nearly 5 years back in 2000. I was surprised when my son brought homework from school that indicated the gambling is fundamental in the culture. I was shocked although I dont remember the exact details. Our direct family are not gamblers but I have seen it endemic in other family members. From NZ
Have some gambling lobbyists been influencing & infiltrating the Australian education system too in an attempt to entrench in the kids mind that gambling is normal, harmless and is a way of life and therefore wont have any consequences in life😱 Looks like the lobbyists want the future generation all to be pro gambling..😢
I am a qualified lesbian too
Great program on a very important issue
Thanks for watching, dear Carolyn. 🙌
I’ve replaced a huge void in my life with gambling. I also do it to comfort myself from all the very bad parts of my life. I’m in so much trouble…
You should quit before you lose everything and yourself
You should quit before you lose your self and everything you own
Gambling is the worst addiction and most destructive. If you are a gambling addict I'd say drugs are a cheaper option.
Alcohol even cheaper but I don't recommend.😮
Years ago pokies were fun.. two cents, five cents, ten cent and twenty cents total outlay per pull or press. Now a person can bet $5 and $10 plus play extra per bet on top... the gambling industry has become GREEDY.. what used to be a fun night out has turned into a horror show for many.
Ban casinos and gambling. It is poison.
I travelled down the east coast for a year and coming from the UK I couldn't believe how much gambling there was in Oz it's everywhere every pub every street
When you lost complete control of anything, it is a sign of addiction. Don't know how it got this bad. The aftermath is sad knowing they lost everything. So heartbreaking.
There are biiiiig signs your beyond the point of no return way before losing complete control
I just can’t watch it as it’s to shocking !!!!!
I’ve worked in prison and seen the heartbreaking results of gambling addiction
Well presented content! Thank you!🌟🌟🌟
Clubs New South Wales? These are supposed to be community clubs? This is madness. I've never heard of such an insane situation.
My partners sister has gambled away more than a million dollars in the last 5 years, her husband left her because of her gambling addiction, she received the house in the divorce settlement, she sold that and put it through the pokies .
She is doomed unless there is intervention. 🙏
That’s so depressing
Such a waste of money.
I lost twenty billion dollars but made another forty billion. See what I did there? Always comments about thousands and milluons lost. Where do they get all the money to begin with???
@@ciararespect4296yes we all see what you did there... you proved yourself to be an ignorant moron.
I’m in the uk and there is lots of these also in bars , shops and online ….. I have experienced some gambling websites and I can clearly see how addictive it is we are lucky to have gamstop where you can actually ban yourself for various time periods but this does not stop you using slots so I do think this should be regulated
I can say gambling addiction is real. I am alcoholic and gambling addict. I am now 33 years sober of alcohol, and 4 years free of gambling.
I was introduced to gambling at a send off for a fellow employee, that was held at the RSL club in Moree. I was 18 or 19 at the time. I lost my job with the rail way as a result. I would gamble on anything till I had no money left. At the last I was caught up in online gambling. I finished up bankrupt, nothing left and too ill to work.
Some one needs to be held accountable. It is as simple level as having a member card that tracks losses. The machine won't work without it. And refuses more than $100 loss in 24 hours and $300 in a week. Then the person is spoken to.
But no money rules and the club owners pay off government etc to keep going. In my opinion it is theft and cold blooded murder.
I hope that I can do the same. Right now I only have fear and remorse. I do need help.
You’re just as responsible! Don’t completely place the blame onto someone else when you’ve put the money into gambling in the first place
I love poker machines. I could sit there for hours winning just enough to keep going if I kept replenishing my money at the atm machine in the casino. That’s why I never set foot in a casino anymore.
Years ago on the west gate Bridge a man stopped in front of me got out and jumped off . It never made the news but a neighbour knew him and told me he'd lost every cent at crown casino
That must be horrifying to witness such an act. Something one can never forget their whole life..Sad he couldnt find a way out or get any help..Weird it never made the news..Suppressed by someone? 🤔 There should be an investigation or an inquest on his death..Official record..At least his death deserved to be noted by the community and the cause of suicide (gambling) be a powerful reminder to everyone of this addiction disease..and the supplier of that service (gambling provider) as an enabler should be held partially accountable for his death 🙏
@@notimetodienttd1115 individual actual suicides are not reported really because it can lead to copy cat suicides. Nevertheless, it does feel very sad that these major events in society& for family & friends pass by with no acknowledgements though.
I hope that you're okay.
I've seen a couple events like that take place....It's almost like what you saw "Never happened".One event,was on a FREEZING morning,where a man threatened to kill himself,standing and sitting on his car(with NO shoes on or jacket on!)with a knife to his throat.Every law enforcement-caregiver organization came from MILES around,to FINALLY talk him fown after over 8-10 HOURS!(It NEVER made the news!HUNDREDS of people involved!The other incident?2 police cars SLAMMING into each other,both being in such a HURYY!Ha ha!
The house ALWAYS wins PERIOD. Those lights and services in the casinos are what YOU pay for. If the player always wins the casino wouldn't be in business. So if the house always wins, why not own a part of the house: buy and hold casino stocks.
I'd be thinking I'm profiting off the addiction of others. Not to mention, financial ruin, family breakdown, suicides, etc...
Our country is the laughing stock of the world when it comes to this problem
Your country is also a laughing stock to the world in your covid response! lol
Not all australians are addicted to gambling. I can go to a club , eat lunch and leave. I can play pokies but its rare, have a win and walk out. I can also go one day play bingo and leave too. I think its just like most addictions. Smoking , drinking , doing drugs most know its wrong but keep doing it.
I feel there must be some genetic component actually.
I lived in Vegas 🇺🇸 for 8yrs. I would only gamble if friends or family came in town. And then I had a set amount to spend. If I spend the set amount, then I would leave. RESTRAINT!!
How do you make a small fortune gambling?????
Start with a large fortune!!!!!!!!!!!
Easy...Use the "coin toss" method...Flip a coin,and call it("Heads",for example)if it lands in your palm "heads",then perfect!You WIN!If it lands in your palm,"tails",slap the coin on your elbow,flipping the coin the other direction(Now "heads")You'll win EVERYTIME,but you can only get away with it ONCE,per person,or group!
I used to bet far to much on the races every Saturday I made a decision to stop I haven't had a bet since 24/12/22.
I still go to the pub and watch the races with my mates I just don't bet.
I'm also lucky I live in Perth we don't have pokies in pubs at all only in the casino which I never go to.
Australia should adopt the Swiss responsible gaming model - it allows for national / statewide self-exclusions that must be enforced by gaming venues, otherwise they lose their gaming licenses. Gamblers are held responsible, but gaming operators are held accountable.
The model extends to online gaming.
Switzerland has 10% the amount of gaming machines as NSW (same population) and still gets 20000 self exclusions a year. Source is Swiss Gaming commission.
I use to spend $500-$900 or even more in the pokies as it was just an addiction, I was greedy and when I got greedy and lost I got lonely, it got to a point it was giving me anxiety, so now I’m 4 months sober and each month I make a coin I keep in my wallet to remind of who I am and the future I will have, to anyone reading this, there is more to life and you don’t need to play the pokies
That’s a big mistake having the “Pokie “ machines available everywhere
Around 1990 Joan Jirner Premier of Victoria legalised it in vic and that’s when the problems started.
And I’m pretty sure First of the venues was in Airport West 1990 next to Westfield
1 gentleman lost 3-4 properties i know of.
People selling their cars in the car park of venue way below true value
People sleeping 😴 in their cars waiting for venue to reopen as there was a 2-3 hour closing so money 💰 could be counted 😁
And I’m pretty sure The first venue to have a 24/7 license was in a Melbourne suburb of Airport West The early stages weren’t much vic taxes & very little licence fees and the family owned business was swimming in cash 💰 overnight.
Same family owned slot business and freehold on property. Later sold the business but retained the freehold on property and later years were offered millions 💰for property and refused.
From being renters to owning mansions less than 12 months.
Individual Politicians were loving all the kickbacks.
Anyway just remember.
‘The house always wins’
The machines are rigged.
Joan Kirner is a dump woman. So many lives had to loose thanks to her.
I was bad gambling addict for past two year - would stay all weekend at big easy casino in miami. Started small before I knew it I didn’t get thrill if I wasn’t betting 5/ 10 / 20 dollars a spin. Won very few times but still felt such a big rush kept going back. Made friends “there”. The. My boss gave me a loan on the condition I would never go back again. I took that seriously because I didn’t want to break that trust. Haven’t been back in 3 months. Enough time to step back and realize what insanity that was. Now I value every dollar I make. I am so grateful by the grace of god that the addiction has been lifted. You could not get me to walk in a casino. I have no interest.
I lost everything in online gambling but thanks GOD I recover now after watching this documentary
My mother was also a very addictive pokies gambler.
Sadly, even if you were to rid the whole of Australia of every poker machine, there would always be something else to take its place😢
This is true horses etc. You lose at least one dollar every second. I've seen people spend five dollars every second.
@@dearbrad1996 Sadly any kinda addiction is destructive and a crippling disease that requires intervention and strict treatment. 😢
My grandfather was sick and dying in hospital and he still went out and gambled all his life savings away and left my Nanna with nothing when he died
My wife’s uncle was dying of cancer. You think he would hang out with his family till the end. Nope. The guy went to the casino every day till the end.
I lived in Sydney for six months back in 2005/2006 and it was perfectly normal for my fiancé’s mom to go to the casino every night and play the machines. She kept inviting me to go with her and she didn’t like it when I said I knew better ways to blow my money and have something of value in my hand for it instead of just a noisy memory.
I met a lady who told me she gambled away her husband's pension.
That's no Lady..
😅
We should make all casinos illegal. From vegas to native American reservations. All of them illegal
I agree
Keep doing what your doing love it needs to come to an end its ridiculous
Thank you Al Jazeera for addressing the gambling issue here in australia 🇦🇺
I don’t have much money to gamble with now that I’m retired…my little job I have to supplement my income is the hardest job I have ever had and loosing even a dollar would break my heart…..❤
What kind of job do you have?
@@Robin-mj6jv retail….and I’m way overqualified 🫢 I really take it to heart taking care of the shoes and boots area…..
And they their pokie revenue doesn’t come from problem gamblers. Go into a pokie room and tell me which ones don’t have a problem
My pokies addiction has caused so much misery in my life. AT 50 I have no assets no money and no nothing. I owe 40 grand debt, Taxes credit cards. At least i have a low paying job and a roof over my head.
There are pokies/slot machines in some social clubs here in Malaysia too.
My In-laws was pokies gamblers and lie to us till we realise they had no money in their bank account and came to us for help yet they still wanted to go to the pokies while we try to help them so we had to make the discussions not to give them money. It end up taken both of their lives because they could not afford go to the GP.
Thats so devastating..Sorry for your losses..Addiction is a demon and a disease that needs intervention and treatment. Hopefully we all can learn something from all these sad tragedies..Peace 🙏
@@notimetodienttd1115 Thank You
Thats brutal
I've seen a couple events like that take place....It's almost like what you saw "Never happened".One event,was on a FREEZING morning,where a man threatened to kill himself,standing and sitting on his car(with NO shoes on or jacket on!)with a knife to his throat.Every law enforcement-caregiver organization came from MILES around,to FINALLY talk him fown after over 8-10 HOURS!(It NEVER made the news!HUNDREDS of people involved!The other incident?2 police cars SLAMMING into each other,both being in such a HURYY!Ha ha!