I guess the dangers of excessive gambling were something I have always known about and avoided but this documentary drove home even more strongly to me the dangers of poker machines in particular. It outlines the science behind the design and the terrible odds with some stories from real Australians.
I was particularly shocked by the intentional design to addict people and the links through to where the money ends up. The lobbying and protests in the last 10 minutes just made me angry but I should expect it I guess.
You can watch the full documentary on iView until the 4th November.
Ka-Ching! Pokie Nation
They’re rigged, they’re addictive and they’re everywhere. For the first time, the masterminds behind pokie machines reveal how they’re programmed for addiction. Have governments become the biggest addicts of all?
