For 12 years, Kate kept chasing the rush that came with the cash and the compliment, with devastating results. She ultimately lost $500,000 on the pokies, including $12,000 in one stint, which put her on the brink of suicide. She shares her story not as an industry-termed problem gambler but as a victim of an industry that wields an enormous amount of influence and power in Australia.
The brutal reality is that many tens of thousands of Australians are addicted to gambling, in particular poker machines and online betting, says independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie. And its a terrible reflection on governments that this is allowed to continue unchecked.
In fact, Australia is the biggest gambling nation in the world per capita, losing $25…
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