Taking a punt

John wriggles slightly on the stool he’s been sat on almost solidly since 11am. It’s 2pm, his lower back niggles and his neck is stiff. His gaze is fixed on the flashing screen in front of him as colours whirl, his hand poised in readiness as he hits the play button on the machine hard, again and again and again.

The machines nearby are all occupied as hopeful punters feed money into the ever-hungry slots to a backdrop of noise and music.

But in the room off to the side of a Blenheim bar where the pokie machines sit, there is little small talk and no laughter. Gambling is a serious business.

Today has not been a lucky one for John, he explains, but he’s sure a win is due.

“I’ve been on this machine for a while. It’s due to give out any time,” he explains.

Playing the pokies for much of his life, John was 17 years old when he started. His dad had been a keen player too, he says.

“I remember watching him when I was a kid. It was exciting and he got some big wins.

“He’d sometimes let me press the button for him.”

Peeling another note from his wallet, John explains how he tries to budget for the pokies. It is a past time he enjoys and to him, it’s no different from playing golf, for example.

“I could be spending my money on beer or old cars, but I get more of a buzz from this. I don’t always win but I do make enough, it all balances out.

‘It’s a hobby really and one I’m quite good at.”

John mainly plays at one pub in town, where he knows and likes the staff, he says. He catches up with some of the other regulars while he has a break from the machines, enjoying a drink, a laugh and a bite to eat.

“That side of it is very social but when I’m playing, I like to concentrate.

“Most people know to leave me which ones have been played on and might give out.

“It usually pays off for me, put it that way,” he says with a smile but is coy about how much he has won, or lost, over the years.

“This isn’t just about the money for me, it’s about the fun and if I do win then that’s a bonus.

“I know that people do get addicted but that’s not me. I know when I’ve had enough.

Where To Get Help

Gambling Helpline - Pasifika 24/7 support by phone, email, web and text for those worried about gambling or the gambling of others. Phone 0800 654 657.

Asian Family Services alone when I’m on,” he says. While John does sometime dabble on the horses and dogs, the pokies are his go-to gambling option. Smaller bets can mean big results, he explains.

“It’s a waiting game, you have to be patient. You have to be able to read the machines a bit and watch

“I don’t think it makes a difference how many machines there are as those that want to play will.”

The machine spins again, whirling itself into a blur as John watches with an almost detached air. The numbers and pictures come to a stop and it’s not a win.

“Ah, well, you can’t win them all,” John says, feeding more money into the machine.

Asian Family Services provides professional and confidential face-to-face or telephone counselling support and social worker support to all Asians living in New Zealand. Open 9.00am to 5.00pm. Phone 0800 862 342.

PGF Services

PGF Services (formerly Problem Gambling Foundation) provides free, professional and confidential gambling counselling services for both gamblers and others affected by gambling. Open 8.30am to 5.00pm. Phone 0800 664 262.

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