GetUp! problem gambling footy finals TV ad campaign

GetUp! problem gambling footy finals TV ad campaign

Without reform, pokie machines enable a social problem that can ruin individuals, families, businesses and marriages.

The clubs say they need problem gambling profits so they can give back to the community, but most clubs receive more in tax breaks, and spend more on advertising than they give back to their local communities.

The numbers make a case that is hard to ignore:

  • A problem gambler can currently lose $1,200 in just one hour on high-intensity machines.
  • 40% of pokie losses come from problem gamblers; that’s $5 billion of the $12 billion Australians lose on pokies each year.
  • A study in Victoria found that 1 in 10 problem gamblers say they’ve contemplated suicide because of problem gambling.

Australia has the greatest number of dangerous high-loss pokie machines in the world. These machines have been called the “crack cocaine” of gambling – and for good reason. They are designed to be highly appealing to addictive personalities, making them unique compared to other forms of gambling.

While Clubs executives are spending millions playing fast and loose with the facts, Australian families are dealing with the harsh reality of problem gambling.

It’s time for reform that limits the prevalence of high-loss machines and gives problem gamblers a way to choose how much they’re willing to lose on the slots before they get carried away in the moment.

Clubs that profit from gambling losses are doing everything they can to preserve their pokie profits, but we don’t have to let them get away with it.

See GetUp!’s proposed advertisement.

See what the Uniting Church President says.

Share

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top