Why do people throw their money away?
It is often really difficult to understand the pull of gambling unless you have experienced something similar yourself.
Gambling activities, such as playing the pokie machines, are designed by psychologists to entice players, make them feel they have almost won or that they can influence the outcome of the game. This can encourage people to play more often or spend more time or money than they can afford. Ultimately this can lead to a gambling problem.
It's important to understand that people who have a gambling problem can experience strong physical reactions similar to other addictions. They can have highs similar to those experienced by drug users, and strong urges to gamble because of their physical longing for the 'high'.
Who is likely to become a problem gambler?
Problem gamblers come from all walks of life. And they gamble for all sorts of reasons - to escape the stress of their jobs, to get a break from the kids or to try to win money. However, some generalisations can be made:
- People living in poorer neighbourhoods are at much higher risk of becoming problem gamblers. This is partly due to the higher concentration in these areas of gambling venues, such as TABs and pokies
- One in five regular pokie machine players is likely to be a problem gambler
- Maori and Pacific peoples are more likely to be problem gamblers, or to suffer from gambling harm
- Women are more likely than men to have a gambling problem as a result of playing the pokies
- Around 30 percent of people who experience drug or alcohol problems also have gambling problems.
How common is problem gambling?
For many of us gambling is an enjoyable activity and we do not experience any direct problems. While the actual number of problem gamblers is not known, it is thought that between 10,000 and 60,000 New Zealand adults have a gambling problem. And it is estimated that for every problem gambler, seven other people are negatively affected.
Are some forms of gambling more harmful than others?
Some types of gambling are more addictive than others and result in greater harms. Fast-paced games are the most addictive. When the rounds end quickly there is a constant temptation to play again or increase bets. Pokie machines are particularly fast paced and are associated with the most harmful gambling. The majority of people seeking help for their gambling cite pokies as their main form of gambling.
