Judys Story
The poker machines have got to be abandoned in Australia, for the benefit of the Australian people. Poker machines destroy lives, marriages, and children suffer as a consequence. There are already too many people in Australia that have been badly affected by poker machines and suffering from mental depression. Mentally and physically they are sick because of their addiction to the poker machine.
The way that the poker machines are designed is why a lot of people in Australia can get addicted at any age and while poker machines are in operation at the clubs in Australia a lot more people [of any age] will become addicted. The poker machines are designed to register only the winning in people’s thoughts and minds.
I’m addicted to poker machines and I have been addicted to them for 19 years. I have lost all my money that I have saved up. It started just by one day I went to the club to have lunch. I was sitting across the room from the poker machines and I could hear the music and see the lights flash on and off and after I finished my lunch I decided to go where the machines were. I stood and walked around to the poker machines and found them exciting. I went and changed $5 and I started to play. The machine was paying some money, the music, the sound of the free spins, the sound of the rolling pictures was going around and around and it was very exciting to my mind. I got addicted there and then. The pattern of the poker machine was established in my mind and on the way home I was already thinking to go the next day and play again. And I did. As I started to realise that I was losing too much of my money I tried to stop but the urge was too strong. I have tried to get help many times with counselling and other help but nothing has worked for me to stop.
In these 19 years I have seen many people of all ages come into the clubs for what ever reason and become addicted to poker machines.
In these 19 years of my addiction to poker machines I have spoken to many people at the clubs that are addicted and their stories are very disturbing:
Young people are losing all their pay in the poker machines. They have no money left to meet their needs in life and have not future, resulting in a deep depression.
Older people have lost all their money in the poker machines that they have saved at a younger age. Even having to sell some of their belongings, leaving them with just the pension and even some of the pension money they put in machine, resulting in deep depression.
Middle age people have sold properties and put money in the poker machines, have taken loans on the house etc. and put money in the poker machine, most of the weekly pay in the poker machine, resulting in deep depression.
Married people with families put most of their weekly pay in the poker machines resulting in financial problems to pay the bills. Children suffer because the parents argue because of their poker machine addiction—all the family suffer from depression.
The law doesn’t allow drugs to be left on the table at the clubs for people that are addicted to drugs to have. But the law allows the club owners to turn the poker machines on in the clubs to have addicted people play and even get some more people addicted to poker machines. It’s like they say to the people addicted to poker machines ‘come and leave your money in the poker machine for us’.
Judy
Gamblers Anonymous (GA) provides help to people through attendance at GA meetings . If gambling is causing you problems, we believe you may be able to find help by attending a GA meeting as soon as possible.
helpline (02) 9628 5065