Erotic Massages As An Incentive For Playing Poker Machines
It may be said that many people in NSW see “playing the pokies” as a relatively innocent and enjoyable pastime.
To some, the chance of “hitting the jackpot” provokes feelings of great excitement. Poker machines are seen as providing “entertainment plus”. Apart from the chance of winning money, the machines’ flashing lights and attractive, colourful screens, positioned in a social and bubbly environment provides more than enough of a reward from a hard day’s work. To other people, playing the pokies represents a way of escaping from reality — getting away from the problems at work and in home life. Poker machines, in a very real sense, signify to many a chance of achieving the dream of financial security, a way out of just getting by financially and living a so-called “humdrum and mundane” life.
But, as many of us know, “playing the pokies” is not a pastime void of danger. Poker machines are in fact a double-edged sword.
Poker machines represent a source of many problems for those addicted to gambling. On a financial front, people spend not only their wages but also go into debt and even steal in order to satisfy the ever-hungry poker machine. But, of course, neither the machine nor the gambling industry will ever be satiated.
Loss of finance and time over gambling on poker machines may lead in some to feelings of anxiety, depression or guilt over gambling, thoughts of suicide or attempted suicide and great stress (Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, “Gambling: Promoting a Culture of Responsibility”, June 2004, see: www.ipart.nsw.gov.au). The interpersonal problems related to problem gambling are also significant. Arguments relating to gambling with family members, friends and work colleagues and relationship breakdowns due to not spending sufficient time with the family are not uncommon amongst problem gamblers.
In reading an article in the Daily Telegraph on 7 September, I was greatly saddened and shocked by an incentive being presently offered by a particular hotel in the centre of Sydney to play the pokies. The opening paragraph read as follows:
“The tussel to win an even bigger share of the punting dollar has led one hotel to offer “erotic men’s massage” as an alternative to cash payouts. The hotel had a sign displayed in its gaming area offering patrons the novel reward at the rate of 14,500 points an hour.”
The background and age of a typical problem gambler in NSW is of a Sydney-based Anglo-Australian male of 39 years. Given this fact, it is more than obvious that erotic massage is being used as a hook to lure the typical male gambler into heavier and deeper addiction.
The problems with this type of “incentive”, being ludicrously labelled as a “novel reward”, are multifaceted. It is a completely unethical tactic to induce heavier spending on poker machines. I side with Premier Bob Carr’s comment that this incentive is “not appropriate”. Problem gamblers are in a vulnerable mental and emotional position as it is and to induce further spending from these individuals by providing a sexually related reward is morally bankrupt. The Department of Gaming and Racing has indicated that over 2002–2003, $47,700 million in turnover was made from gaming machines in hotels and registered clubs. Why should the Government allow greater profits to be made from morally void means?
As it stands today, gambling addiction has serious ramifications for marriages and families. An incentive such as the one offered represents a further weapon against the sanctity of marriage and the wellbeing of families. Imagine a scenario such as this one: a husband and wife have had a heated argument ending in unresolved anger and resentment. While the wife stays at home, fuming over the argument, the husband seeks relief in playing the pokies in order to distract himself from the quarrel and disassociate himself from his wife. Confronted with the opportunity to receive an erotic massage, he gambles away his week’s earnings to earn enough points so that he can enjoy a sexual experience with a woman other than his wife. Can you imagine the feelings of distrust and hurt arising from this episode, not only from the wife but also from the children of this family?
The Department of Gaming and Racing, in its Annual Report 2002–2003, has indicated that there are 1,830 hotels with 24,255 electronic gaming machines (or poker machines), 1,381 registered clubs with 75,214 electronic gaming machines. Also, the Star City Casino has 1,500 gaming machines. Club and hotel gaming machines were the largest source of tax revenue, contributing $755 million to this State’s budget (NSW Budget Papers, Budget Statement 2003-2004, Budget Paper No. 2, p 3-13). If this type of incentive is endorsed in NSW, it will have very serious ramifications across all levels of society given the prevalence of poker machines in NSW.
In 1999, the NSW Parliament introduced gambling harm minimization amendments to various gambling legislation, as part of the Gambling Legislation Amendment (Responsible Gambling) Act 1999. This Act promotes gambling harm minimisation and responsible gambling across all forms of gambling. I believe that eradicating erotic massage as an incentive for poker machine gambling is a very wise move and goes towards gambling harm minimization. Gambling harm minimisation’s stated aims include preventing vulnerable individuals from developing gambling problems and reducing the negative social and health consequences associated with problem gamblers for individuals, their families and their communities.
On Thursday 23 September 2004, during question time, I directed the following questions to the Hon. Ian Macdonald, the Minister for Primary Industries who represents the Minister for Gaming and Racing, the Hon Grant McBride, in the Legislative Council:
Is the Minister aware that on 7 September the Daily Telegraph reported that a hotel in Strawberry Hills has been offering erotic men’s massage in a nearby brothel as an alternative to cash payouts from poker machines?
Does the Minister recognise that this incentive represents a further weapon against marriages and families by the poker machine and hotel industries and that families bear the brunt of the pain and misery that accompany problem and pathological gambling?
What, if anything, has been done by the Minister to put a stop to the hotel’s offer of erotic massages in nearby brothels for people playing poker machines?
Mr MacDonald said in reply:
“As much as I am sorely tempted to
answer the question, I will refer it to my colleague for him to answer”.I will let you know what Minister McBride has to say in response to my questions.
THIS IS GORDON MOYES.
