Player Information
How do you make sure the game doesn't play you?
Consider the following:
- Gamble for the fun of it, not the money.
- Set yourself a limit and don't exceed it.
- Don't chase your losses. Leave. Walk away.
- Think of the people who need your support.
- Stay in control and gamble responsibly.
What is gambling?
Gambling involves the staking of money or items of value on the outcome of an uncertain event that is determined by chance.
Three types of activities are generally included in the definition:
Gaming
the exchange of an item of value according to the outcome of a game (eg cards, roulette, electronic gambling devices).
Betting or Wagering
where wagers are placed on the outcome of a race or sporting event.
Lotteries
where distribution of money occurs by random draw.
Australian Psychology Association
Know the facts
The odds of winning differ for different types of gambling activities, but one element stays the same – the odds always favour the house.
In Queensland clubs and hotels, electronic gaming machines return between 85% and 92% of the amount bet back to the gambler on average. This means 8 -15% of money bet is retained by gambling venues.
In sports and racing betting, the odds change depending on the team or horse, past performances and conditions on the day. The TAB or sports betting agency will display the odds.
Golden Casket has information available through newsagents and on the Golden Casket website advising the odds of winning for lottery products, such as Gold Lotto, Powerball and Scratch-its.
Casinos provide information on each of their table games. Brochures are available at the customer information desk if you would like to find out more.
What are the real odds of winning?
- Odds of getting a hole in one – 1 in 5,000
- Odds of winning 1st division in Gold Lotto (1 game) – 1 in 8,145,060
- Odds of dating a supermodel – 1 in 88,000
- Odds of winning top prize on a poker machine (playing maximum lines) – up to 1 in 7,000,000
- Odds of finding a 4-leaf clover – 1 in 10,000
- Odds of winning 1st division in Powerball (1 game) – 1 in 54,979,155
- Odds of marrying a millionaire – 1 in 215
- Odds of picking the trifecta in a 13 horse race – 1 in 1,716
- Odds of winning an Olympic medal – 1 in 662,000
- Odds of winning the 10 number jackpot on Keno (1 game) - 1 in 8,911,711
- Odds of spotting a UFO today – 1 in 3,000,000
- Odds of winning 1st division in Gold Lotto (1 game) – 1 in 8,145, 060
How does an electronic gaming machine work?
The modern gaming machine bears very little resemblance to the old "one armed bandits." They are electronic and generally referred to as electronic gaming machines or EGMs or video gaming machines or VGMs.
It has a video screen that displays the game. You play the game by pushing buttons or by "touching" the menu on the screen. Internally, there are very few mechanical moving parts. It is similar to the inside of your home computer albeit with a few additional components for cash handling.
Playing a gaming machine is not like playing a game on a playstation, Xbox or PC. The gaming machine doesn't remember you from one game to the next. Everytime you press the button on a gaming machine you a playing a new game. Also when you press buttons on a gaming machine you are making your bet, continuing to press on the buttons doesn't mean you are controlling the game.
Each poker machine has a computer program. Poker machines are all programmed to act randomly every time you press the button.
- First the poker machine takes the credits you have bet. It then randomly determines the outcome of that play.
- The outcome is independent of previous plays.
- If there is a win, you get paid credits. If not, the poker machine waits for the button to be pressed again.
You can never predict how each play will end. None of these factors make a difference:
- The last time the machine paid out.
- Anything you or anyone else does to the machine.
- How much you bet.
- How long you have been playing.
- Past and future plays.
- The time of day.
- In Queensland hotels and clubs, electronic gaming machines are programmed to either return 85% or 92% of their takings to the gambler. An 85% return means that for every dollar placed in a poker machine, 85 cents is typically returned to the gambler. This return is achieved over the life of the machine, usually 3-4 years, and you can't expect to receive 85 cents for every dollar you bet in a single gaming session.
"Think about gambling as a business where you buy milk for $1 and sell it for 85 cents or where you buy cars for $10,000 and sell them for $8,500. How long do you think a business like this could survive?" (Simon Milton 2001 "Stop Gambling: A self-help manual for giving up gambling". Pan Macmillan, Sydney).
Refer to the following for more details:
The truth about gaming machines
What are the odds of winning?
The odds of winning differ for different types of gambling activities.
- For sports betting and racing the odds change depending on the team or horse, past performances and conditions on the day. The TAB or sports betting agency will display the odds.
- For lottery products, such as Gold Lotto, Powerball and Scratch-its. Golden Casket has information available through newsagents advising you of the odds of winning for each product type. Ask your newsagent for a brochure or visit the Golden Casket website.
- Casinos also provide information on each of their table games. Collect a brochure at the customer information desk to find out more.
- Gaming machines. Different games have different odds of winning. You can ask your local venue for information on the odds of winning on the gaming machines.
Player Information displays
Most new Gaming machines installed in Queensland after 1 November 2006 will have a player information display.
The Player Information Display screen will give you information on odds of winning the maximum prize.
The screen will display the following information:
- the symbol(s) which has the highest paying prize and the amount of the maximum prize
- the number of lines you will need to play and the required bet per lineto win the maximum prize
- how much you will spend each game if you make this choice
- on average, how much you will spend per minute and per hour and
- the odds of winning the maximum prize.
The first venue to make these machines available is Treasury Casino, Brisbane.
Is the game playing you?
If you feel the game is playing you, you can ban yourself from gambling in any venue across Queensland. Please speak to a venue’s Customer Liaison Officer (CLO) for information and assistance.
If you are concerned about your own gambling or are worried about a friend, family member or workmate, a Gambling Help Service (PDF 785 K) can assist you; simply call the Gambling Help Line on 1800 858 858. Or you may like to chat to a counsellor using the 24-hour help via Gambling Help Online at www.gamblinghelponline.org.au
Information for venues
Convenience Advertising Order form
Responsible Gambling Signage for all industry sectors (PDF 705 K)
Last reviewed 20 November 2009
