Win or lose, millions of Australians enjoy playing poker machines and often budget their wager amounts beforehand, a new study indicates.
About 2.9 million Australians over age 18 played poker machines over the past three-months, and 1.2 million during the past week, according to Melbourne-based research firm Roy Morgan.
Before they started playing the pokies, just over half determined how much they would risk before they began playing. Frequent players indicated a slightly higher rate of predetermining their wagering budgets before hitting the poker machines.
About 44 percent of pokie players said they play to win, while the rest generally do so for entertainment, and the vast majority said they plan their outings in advance, rather than doing so spontaneously.
Another 41 percent indicated they like to return to the same place to play, which could indicate they enjoy a specific gaming location, or they might have limited options.
Although 1.2 million indicated they play poker machines at least once per week, Roy Morgan Research Group Account Director Angela Smith said that does not mean they are gambling addicts, but it might point to potential problem gambling.
