CHAPTER 7:QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY
RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION
INTRODUCTION
At this stage of the study,
a critical structural analysis of the gaming industry at the political, social,
and operational levels – the venues and the poker machines, has been provided.
This chapter examines the ‘other’ side of the gambling activity – the poker
machine players, not as victim research, but to evidence the success of the
gaming industry’s strategies which encourage poker machine playing, and to
reveal the impact of the poker machines and the venues’ methods to extract the
gambling dollar of players.
RESULTS
- DEMOGRAPHICS AND GENERAL
GAMBLING BACKGROUND
Sixty-one
people responded to the survey. There were 31 (50%) males and 29 (49%) females,
and one missing gender data which has been included in the analysis. Ages
ranged from 18 to 75 and over, with 82% of respondents being between the ages
of 35 to 74, half of whom were at the higher end of the age range (55-74).
These ages reflected the demographics of the suburbs surrounding the hotel.
Thirty
(49%) respondents were classified as occasional gamblers as they gambled less
than once a week. Thirty (49%) were classified as involved gamblers as they
gambled once a week or more. There was one missing frequency data which has
been included in the analysis.
Thirty-three
(54%) respondents had parents who participated in some form of gambling.
Horseracing was the gambling activity most participated in by the respondents’
parents.
Fifty-one
(84%) respondents had been playing the poker machines for 1 to 5 years
reflecting the time the casino opened and the introduction of the machines into
the hotels and clubs. The mean average of time spent in sessions of play was
60.8 minutes. The range was 10 minutes to 3 hours.
Forty-one
(67%) respondents participated in other gambling activities. In a question
requesting respondents to tick as many as applicable the most popular ‘other’
gambling activities were lotteries (35), keno (19), racing (17), and bingo
(14). There was a significant gender difference between participation in
‘other’ gambling activities. Men (26, 84%) were more likely to be involved in
other gambling activities than women (15, 52%). Racing was found to be the
activity men participated in significantly more than women did.
Results
showed that respondents were more likely to be introduced to poker machine
playing by patronising a hotel (41%), attending the casino (19%), by friends
(18%), and by travelling interstate to New South Wales (11%).
- MOTIVATIONS FOR PLAYING
The
most popular motivations for starting to play the ‘pokies’ were found to be to
try one’s luck (48%), for enjoyment (46%), to win money (38%), and curiosity
(21%). Motivations for playing had not changed significantly since starting to
play till time of survey except curiosity had been satisfied.
- PROMOTIONS, MARKETING, VENUE
All
respondents were aware of the promotions and deals within the venue, and in
particular the cheap meals. Respondents indicated that on average they utilised
the promotions 68% of the time. However, when asked how important these
promotions were in determining whether or not they played the poker machines
(Appendix C, Q21c, Table 3b), by far the majority of the response was ‘Not
Important’. Thirty-five (57%) of players indicated that they never play the
machines in order to win extra prizes, and 21 (34%) indicated that they do
sometimes.
Proximity
was given as the main attraction of the venue. Friendly staff and the
atmosphere was also indicated as an attraction, but had a greater role for the
regular gamblers.
Poker
machine playing was significantly viewed as a leisure activity, and as fun. It
was viewed equally as gaming and gambling. Playing was minimally indicated as
being seen as a way to make money.
- POKER MACHINE CHARACTERISTICS
In
an open question respondents indicated that the main attraction to playing on
the machines was the chance to win money. Fun and relaxing were also indicated.
However, if the categories of fun, relaxing, social, and diversion, are
collapsed under the one category of ‘leisure’, leisure was given as the main
attraction to the playing of poker machines.
Involved
players, more than occasional players were more likely to see the chance of
winning as the main attraction.
Thirty-seven
(61%) players had a favourite machine, particularly the involved players.
Results show that familiarity with the machine (33%) and understanding the
payout table (25%) are the main attractions to their favourite machine. That
the machine pays out more wins (21%) rated next. Pictures and symbols were also
attractions (20%) with the machine being ‘lucky’ (18%) rating next.
In
a contradictory result 28 (46%) respondents expected to win from pokie playing,
while 29 (48%) did not expect to win. Yet, when asked in Q(24) ‘Is it possible
to win overall from poker machines?’, 50 (82%) of respondents thought it was
impossible to win overall from poker machines. Involved gamblers were more
likely to expect to win.
- CHANGES IN GAMBLING HABITS
There
appears to be a significant association between the level of gambling
involvement and increase of gambling habits, and changes in gambling habits.
Following are the tabulated results –
Table 5(a) – Change in
Frequency
|
VARIABLE |
|
Gender |
Gender |
Group |
Group |
|
Q6. Since you started to play the poker machines, have you found that the frequency has changed in any of the following ways? |
Overall
(n=61) |
Men (n=31) |
Women
(n=29) |
Occasional
(n=30) |
Involved
(n=30) |
|
Increased |
13 (21%) |
7 (22%) |
6 (21%) |
4 (13%) |
8 (27%) |
|
Decreased |
13 (21%) |
8 (26%) |
4 (14%) |
10 (33%) |
3 (10%) |
|
Pattern of increase, then decrease |
26 (42%) |
12 (39%) |
15 (52%) |
10 (33%) |
16 (53%) |
Note: Where figures do not
sum to 100% there is missing data.
There appears to be a
significant association between gambling frequency and response to this
question. Involved gamblers are likely to have increased their frequency in
playing the machines (27% vs. 10%), whereas occasional players are more likely
to have decreased their frequency (33% vx. 13%). There was no significant
gender differences.
Table 5(b) – Change in Time
Spent Playing
|
VARIABLE |
|
Gender |
Gender |
Group |
Group |
|
Q(8). Since you started to play the poker machines, have you found that the amount of time you spend playing has changed in any of the following ways? |
Overall
(n=61) |
Men
(n=31) |
Women
(n=29) |
Occasional
(n=30) |
Involved
(n=30) |
|
Increased |
11 (18%) |
5 (16%) |
6 (20%) |
3 (10%) |
7 (23%) |
|
Decreased |
14 (23%) |
9 (29%) |
4 (14%) |
10 (33%) |
|
|
Pattern of increase then decrease |
11 (18%) |
2 (6%) |
9 (31%) |
4 (13%) |
7 (23%) |
|
Stayed the same |
22 (36%) |
14 (45%) |
8 (28%) |
10 (33%) |
12 (41%) |
Note: Where figures do not sum 100% there is missing data.
Involved gamblers are more
likely to have increased the amount of time in each session than occasional
gamblers (23% vs. 10%), whereas occasional players were more likely to have
decreased the amount of time (33% vs. 13%). There were no significant gender differences.
Table 5(c) - Change in
Expenditure
|
VARIABLE |
|
Gender |
Gender |
Group |
Group |
|
Q (11). Since you first started playing poker machines have you found that the amount of money you spend has changed in any of the following ways? |
Overall
(n=61) |
Men
(n=31) |
Women
(n=29) |
Occasional
(n=26) |
Involved
(n=30) |
|
Increased |
12 (20%) |
8 (26%) |
4 (14%) |
1 (3%) |
11 (37%) |
|
Decreased |
10 (16%) |
6 (19%) |
4 (14%) |
6 (20%) |
4 (13%) |
|
Depends on what I can spare |
18 (30%) |
7 (23%) |
11 (38%) |
13 (43%) |
4 (13%) |
|
Patterns of increase then decrease |
6 (10%) |
2 (6%) |
4 (14%) |
1 (3%) |
5 (17%) |
|
Stayed the same |
11 (18%) |
7 (23%) |
4 (14%) |
5 (17%) |
6 (20%) |
Note: Where figures do not
sum to 100% there is missing data.
This table shows that
involved gamblers are significantly more likely to increase the amount they are
spending than occasional gamblers (37% vs. 3%). There were no significant
gender differences.
Table 5(d) –
Chasing Losses
|
VARIABLE |
|
Gender |
Gender |
Group |
Group |
|
Q (25). When you gamble do you go back another time to regain your losses? |
Overall (n=61) |
Men (n=31) |
Women (n=29) |
Occasional (n=30) |
Involved (n=30) |
|
YES |
26 (43%) |
12 (39%) |
14 (48%) |
9 (30%) |
17 (57%) |
|
NO |
32 (53%) |
18 (58%) |
14 (48%) |
19 (63%) |
13 (43%) |
Note: Where figures do not
sum to 100% there is missing data.
Involved gamblers (57%) are
more likely to ‘chase losses’ than occasional gamblers (30%). There were no
significant gender differences.
CHAPTER 1: THE SCAPE-GOATED
CHAPTER 2: FROM A SIN, TO A VICE, TO A DISEASE, TO A SOCIAL VIRTUE
CHAPTER 3: TWO TYPES OF GAMBLERS? A LITERATURE REVIEW
CHAPTER 4: POKER MACHINES– THE LETHAL MONEY STRIPPERS
CHAPTER 5: THE SCAPE-GOATED
CHAPTER 6: THE FIELD OBSERVATION
CHAPTER 8: CONCLUSION
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