Pokies are an Australian curse

Poker machines (pokies; gambling machines) are an Australian national curse:

"According to a Productivity Commission report (1999), Australia had nearly 180,000 poker machines; 21% of all the gambling machines in the world ...

"Poker machines were the main source of revenue with NSW supplying nearly half of the national $74 billion turned over on the machines."
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"On a per capita basis, Australia had roughly five times as many gaming machines as the United States."
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Since 1999, the number has increased dramatically, because pubs as well as clubs are now licensed to have these infernal machines. My country leads the world in folly.

Categories: australia, addiction