Results of my survey into the link between the “FEATURE” on Poker Machines and Addiction.

Question 1. Do you think the feature is a Poker Machine’s most addictive component and the main reason you play?

Yes: 169/202( 84%)

No: 31/202 (15%)

Unsure: 2/202 (1%)

Question 2: Do you find yourself regularly during game play feeling like you are “waiting” for the feature?

Yes: 181/202 (90%)

No: 17/202 (8%)

Unsure: 4/202 (2%)

Question 3: If the feature was removed from Poker Machines do you believe this would

Make them less addictive and attractive to play?

Yes: 168/202 (83%)

No:29/202 (15%)

Unsure: 5/202(2%)

Question 4: If the feature was removed from Poker Machines would you be less likely or even discontinue playing?

Yes: 151/202 (75%)

No: 37/202 (18%)

Unsure: 14/202 (7%)

Do you think the removal of the Feature from Poker Machines would be a more effective way to combat addiction, than the proposed Pre- commitment card that is currently being debated in Parliament?

Yes: 143/202 (71%)

No: 29/202 (15%)

Unsure: 5/202 (2 %

This survey was done by speaking to 202 actual Poker Machine Players. This included a mixture of people actually playing a Machine at the time of questioning, and others who classed themselves as Players of Poker Machines. Everyone was asked before questioning if they “played the pokies?” Only people replying yes would be allowed to participate in my survey. Some interesting points of interest where obtained by me during my analysis.

  • There is definitely a link between the “chase” of the Feature and players spending beyond their means on Poker Machines. I regularly got told of the “Chase” which refers to the player looking for the big payout during the free spins. I have shown that most people’s money is lost during that period when the Feature hasn’t been won for a period of time, and the player believes it is due soon. This will cause a player to continually feed the Machine thinking that the soon to be obtained Feature will return all their losses. This is the “Chase”
  • The percentage of Problem Gamblers is far greater than the 1% that the government believes to be the case. Poker Machine addiction is a very secretive affair. A lot of Poker Machine Addicts family members and friends don’t know that they have a gambling problem. If this is the case what chance does the government have of knowing? If the idea of a Poker Machine problem is spending money that should have gone to life expenses i.e. Rent, Food, Bills, Clothing,and Fuel etc. Then I would say more than 75% have had a problem or continue to have a problem with Poker Machines. I would be told by the players that they don’t play very often, and that they only put in the occasional 10 to 20 dollar note. It would only be after befriending them and explaining my history as an Addict that they would be truthful to me about the amounts and how often they play.
  • The feature becomes more important the higher you bet and the more frequently you play.I found that the more often and higher the wager of a player, the more important to them the “Feature” is. I found that people playing 1 cent per line and only played them rarely, had little interest in weather the Feature was there or not. This compared to players betting up to 20 cents a line that would stop playing completely if the feature was removed. This I believe is what the government is trying to achieve which is to help the Problem Gamblers while not affecting the casual player.
  • Alot of Problem Gamblers don’t want to be and would like the Feature or even the Machines removed completely. I found from talking to the players that a lot of them after a little while would open up about how much they had just spent on the Poker Machine.Regularly they’re frustration and disgust at themselves and the Machine would show immediately. A lot of them, who had just spent hundreds of dollars before talking to me, would beg me to remove the Feature to help them with their addiction as after doing my survey they agreed that the Feature was the most addictive component.
  • The Feature to a Poker Machine is like Caffeine to Coffee. I believe I have shown you that the Feature is the addiction driver in the Gameplay of a Poker Machine. If you want to make a cup of coffee non addictive, you take out the Caffeine. If you want to make a Poker Machine less addictive then remove its “caffeine” which is the Feature.