It is four years since habitual pokies player Raimon "Ray" Kasurinen took his own life.
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Some questions arise: what responsibility should a club with machines have to deter people addicted to those machines from pouring their money into them?
And what responsibility does the government have to prevent harm from a habit which can be addictive, particularly when pokies generate around $40 million per year in tax?
On official figures, Canberra gamblers lost $188.3 million to the machines (and so to the clubs) in 2022-23. ACT clubs paid $37.2 million in tax on their pokies revenue.
Mr Kasurinen may also be the tip of a large iceberg. A recent study published in the prestigious Lancet medical journal concluded 4.2 per cent of suicides in Victoria were associated with gambling. There is no reason to think other states and territories are different.
Australian machines are particularly addictive, Monash University expert Charles Livingstone said. Playing them generates a thrill much like drugs do. "It's a really, really powerful addiction because it's generated by neurochemicals, which the machines stimulate very effectively," Dr Livingstone said.
So, should clubs be more mindful of the dangers of addiction in their patrons? Should the ACT government do more to prevent harm, despite its substantial tax take from them?
Should the the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission be more active?
Mr Kasurinen's family are red-hot angry the commission has still not concluded its investigation into their complaint against the Hellenic Club of Canberra.
"I consider your agency to be completely incompetent and unworthy of public support or public funding," Mr Kasurinen's son-in-law, former policeman David Chambers, emailed an official there on October 13. He had "lost all confidence in your agency".
The email said: "I note that another month has passed since I received your meaningless email.
"You may be aware from my previous correspondence that I am out of patience with the Gaming (sic) and Racing Commission.
"I am annoyed with the unreasonable amount of time it has taken you to conduct this investigation. I am annoyed by your lack of transparency. I am annoyed with your inability to provide me with regularly updates and time frames.
"I am annoyed by your ineffectiveness to do anything about the complaint I made several years ago."
When The Canberra Times contacted the agency about the case, the response via Minister for Gaming Shane Rattenbury's office was: "The Gambling and Racing Commission takes all complaints and allegations seriously. Factors affecting the time taken to conduct an investigation include the amount and type of evidence required to be gathered and the complexity of the matter being investigated.
"The Gaming and Racing Control Act 1999 prohibits the commission from disclosing information in relation to a complaint, which prevents us from providing updates even to the complainant."
Big pokies winners
Amount gamblers lost to machines 2018-19 (ACT Gambling Commission)
- Southern Cross Club (all venues): $26.1 million (552 machines)
- Raiders (Belconnen, Weston and Gunghalin): $18.1 million (476 machines)
- Canberra Tradesmen's Union Club: $17.9 million (300 machines)
- Canberra Labor Club: $15.2 million (246 machines)
- Hellenic Club (both venues): $13.4 million (236 machines)
- The Gambling Helpline is on 1800 858 858.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed, contact Lifeline 13 11 14; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; headspace 1800 650 890; ReachOut.com.