Ruined gambler against more pokies (NZ)
Ruined gambler against more pokies
WEDNESDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2006
By KIM THOMAS
A reformed gambling addict is calling on the Christchurch City Council not to open the door to more gaming machines in the city.
The Christchurch City Council is considering a recommendation to lift a moratorium it imposed on licensing non-casino gaming machines in 2004.
The council has received more than 2000 public submissions on the matter – a stronger response than usual – with 98 per cent of applicants against lifting the moratorium.
The council reviewed the policy this year after a perception that less money was available from gaming machines for distribution to charity.
The council says maximum pokie numbers at any venue will still be controlled by the Gambling Act and other Government regulations will minimise or prevent harm. The other options are to maintain the status quo, or set limits on the number of machines or venues.
Reformed Christchurch gambler Derek, who does not want to be identified to protect his family, is against lifting the moratorium.
Derek said when he sat in front of a gaming machine, all his worries melted away.
"What they do to you is mesmerising. It’s like being in a bubble, your machine, your cigarettes (when you could smoke in bars) and your beer. It’s like nothing else, the money or family problems, matter. It’s just you and the machine."
Derek said he had always played a few pokie games while at the pub with friends, but his visits became more regular when the purchase of a new house created financial pressure.
Unwilling to talk to his wife about the stress, the father of two teenagers started writing bogus invoices in his job as a manager for a Christchurch firm.
Feeling guilty about committing fraud and with the extra stolen money in his pocket, Derek said he began feeding up to $1000 a week into gaming machines.
For five years, Derek stole $50,000 a year from his employers by writing bogus invoices.
For a period of about five years, he spent Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights playing the pokies.
He said he tried to be home before 9pm when he was gambling so his wife did not become aware of his addiction.
Derek’s secret worlds of gambling and fraud came crashing down about the same time.
His accounting was questioned after he wrote an invoice worth more than he was able to sign-off himself. He confessed to fraud after being investigated by his employers and police and was sentenced to two years in prison.
With his life in turmoil, he sought help from the Problem Gambling Foundation.
"There is a stigma about being a gambler, about going to prison, and a stigma from lying to my friends and family which will take a long time to repair. My wife left me. I basically destroyed my beautiful life for no reason."
Derek said he no longer felt the seductive pull of the pokies, but wanted to tell others how addiction had wrecked his life.
"The ramifications (of lifting the ban on pokie numbers) are huge – more problem gamblers, more family breakdowns and more social problems. Why would you want to let bars have more of them?"
