Gambling and poker machines addiction a “blind spot” for NSW

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The New South Wales auditor general has delivered a damning report into the state's poker machines. He says the number of pokies in the state is growing, and authorities aren't doing enough to minimise harm.

Transcript

00:00When the Minns government was elected, it vowed to take action on poker machines.

00:08New South Wales Labor will deal with undoubtedly the issue of problem gambling in New South Wales.

00:14Now the Auditor-General says the issue has worsened.

00:18He's been scathing of both the department responsible for gambling

00:22and the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority.

00:25The department and ILGA regulate gaming machines in a structured and consistent manner

00:31but are not supporting harm minimisation outcomes effectively.

00:35The strategy does not have a sufficient focus on the areas that are considered high risk for gambling harm

00:41and does not set any targets for reducing harm associated with gaming machines.

00:48The Auditor-General found, despite government policy to reduce the number of pokies,

00:52the state has a thousand more than three years ago.

00:56And the tax revenue keeps going up, with the lowest socio-economic areas of Sydney

01:01recording the largest share of losses, which hit a record $8.4 billion last year.

01:0763 cents in every dollar going through a poker machine comes from someone addicted.

01:12If America's blind spot is guns, New South Wales' blind spot is gambling and the harm it causes.

01:19The government's own budget papers foreshadow a 25% increase in tax from gaming machines in the next four years.

01:27Among the Auditor-General's recommendations are that clear harm minimisation targets are established

01:33and licence conditions are regularly reviewed in high risk areas.

01:37The state government has accepted all of the report's recommendations.

01:41The government argues, in time, its policies will reverse the trend.

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