Abstract
Betting on Electronic Gaming Machines (EGMs, slots, fruitmachines, pokies) is portrayed as being a highly addictive formof entertainment, and is often cited as having the highest rate of“problem gambling” among its users. The Australian StateGovernments are pursuing strategies to restrict EGM access onland-based facilities while the Federal Government has imposeda ban on EGM games for online use by most of those living inAustralia. Lottery products, on the other hand, are viewed as “lowrisk forms of gambling” that have been allowed online. However,both Lotto and EGM play fit a normal pattern of repeat purchase(the NBD) found in many repeat consumer and business goods.An empirical analysis of data on Australians’ gambling showsthat most forms of gambling (Bingo, wagering) actually have ahigher proportion of “problem gamblers” among their playersthan EGMs, and that the high co-morbidity of problem gamblingwith other problems questions the validity of present perceptionsabout the addictive labeling of EGMs.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-14 |
| Journal | Journal of Research for Consumers |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Publication status | Published - 2003 |
