Pokies.

As of a few weeks ago, I am working 2-3 nights a week at a local gaming venue- most of my shifts start between 4 and 6 then finish around midnight-3AM, so that means I'm seeing less of my Geek- he's not home before I leave for work and I'm asleep when he gets up to go to his job.

But the money's good and we've worked out that I've only got to be at this place for about three or four months and then the work is optional- so I can look for something else... which I still am doing- working at a pokie machine venue is slightly soul-destroying.

I understand that pokies are supposed to be fun and games and happy la la lets have a few drinks and put some money into the pretty machine and watch it light up while it plays pretty music, but watching someone push $500 through a machine in half an hour isn't something I can feel particularly good about.

I understand that it's not a good thing to judge people by appearances, but when someone comes into the venue, in worn thin tracksuit pants, a designer-ripoff-bought-at-the-market-for-$10 hoodie and joggers so ancient that the shoelaces have been re-tied mid tongue, then proceeds to feed 10 or 15 $50 notes into a gambling machine, it makes me wonder.

What else was that money supposed to be spent on? Was that the grocery money for the fortnight? The rent money? Was that supposed to be petrol in the car or money off the mortgage, but this person decided to come into my place of work and spend it all on digital spinning wheels that are programmed to only give back 20c of each dollar put into them?

Statistically speaking, less than 2% of the revenue from the machines comes back into the venue. 18-20% goes back to the player, depending on the machine. Then, of the other 78-80c that goes in, 40c goes to the government as Pokies Revenue, and the remaining 38-40c goes to the company that owns the machine.

Seems like the player gets a raw deal.

I get that it's each persons' choice to put the money into the note acceptor, but where is the accountability? I understand that any win greater than $1000 legally has to be paid by cheque, as a supposed 'control measure' to prevent people pouring money back into the machines. I understand that ATMs on-site have to be out of sight from any gaming machine on the floor, and will only dispense a certain amount per card per day, and that they won't let you withdraw from a credit account.

But the number of people I see coming into the venue I work at, which, honestly, is in a lower socio-economic area, and pouring what I classify as a fortnights' pay into a pokie machine, then walking out looking like the world is about to end, is a crushing reality.

The money might be good, but damn, I sometimes wish I'd never obtained my Gaming Industry Employee License, because witnessing what I am is making me go more than a little bit mental.