The Poker Machine State interrogates the ethical and political context in which decisions about poker machines are made; it refutes claims by the gambling industry and its consultants that poker machines measurably and substantially improve the quality of life of those who play them; and it presents an argument on the type of economics that should more generally guide the formation of public policy. The book highlights the need in our society for an informed discussion about poker machine activity and the rise in problem gambling, canvassing issues such as:
* the state's level of dependency on poker machine "tax" revenues;
* the conflict of interest facing governments as both tax beneficiaries and regulators;
* the regressive nature of poker machine "tax";
* the fact that machine losses are concentrated disproportionately in low income municipalities and in lower income areas within all municipalities;
* the overwhelming evidence about the nature of the harm caused by poker machines in our communities; and asks the question,
* is it legitimate for the poker machine industry to profit from the serious harm it causes?
An argument is presented that governments cannot escape their moral responsibility to consider the real impacts of poker machines on their citizens, and they are therefore obliged to reduce drastically the amounts that people lose.
