Umm - yes there is a lot of harm in that when the US (gamblers) always lose and the THEM (machines) always win.

There was an interesting article in Canberra Times on Sunday re. problem gamblers and more than 80% of the people seeking help with problem gambling are poker machine players. Some comments you may be able to relate to:
"Wins are usually immediately rewagered"
"The gambling activity generally starts as an attempt to make their life more interesting and exciting"
"Children learn that Mum or Dad can usually find money for the poker machines but the child is denied things they want or need"

I agree with EI - if you are playing the machines several times a week or for extended periods of time then seek help before it is too late (a good start is to track EXACTLY how much money you are putting into the machines and then think what that could buy you or your family). If you are getting good wins but keep playing until it is all gone then I suspect you do have a problem with it.


[ This Message was edited by: quapi on 2003-01-30 21:02 ]