March 2015 Pokies News Roundup

The pokie industry, and the gambling industry on the whole, is one that is constantly changing. As big fans of these machines we do our best to stay up to date with all of the latest news concerning them. Not only does this allow us to checkout all of the latest games and technologies, along with the newest and most promising casinos, but it also allows us to stay up to date with what is happening in regards to legality. Pokies have been a part of life here for many years, but with problem gambling spreading through the community, and with many people getting worked up and worried, there are suggestions that pokies could soon be made illegal.

We gathered all of the latest news concerning pokies that was released this month, and we have discussed the most interesting pieces below.

Bad News for New Zealand

In the third week of this month it was announced by the Wellington City Council that their policy on pokies was up for review. These machines are legal at the moment, but it seems that the City Council is taking on board the worries that these machines have caused in the community, all of which is due to problem gambling and the effects it has on the addict and their families. This is not good news because although the machines make money for the Council, they are also keen to make a stand in front of the people they serve, and if that means banning these machines then they might just do that.

The current law that these machines fall under was created back in 2003. Known as the Gambling Act 2003 and Racing Act 2003, it will be these laws that are amended if they do decide to change anything, and the knock-on effect could be disastrous, and not just for people living in Wellington. If such a large city outlaws these machines, then it is inevitable that other cities in New Zealand will follow, and once they do then that might be all that the lawmakers in Australia need to follow suit. They have been talking about the possibility of banning pokies themselves for many years, and the only thing that might save Aussies from their own government is the fact that they probably won’t want to be seen “copying” their neighbours and rivals.

Of course, the review by the Wellington City Council might end promisingly, at least as far as we — and casual gamblers in New Zealand — are concerned. But we’ll have to wait and see on that front.

New Pokie Releases

March hasn’t been a big month for new releases, but with summer just around the corner we imagine that there will be some more games cropping up. There are also some blockbuster film releases coming our way, which should lead to some rights being exchanged and some more film-based pokies being created. We are looking forward to this as we find that some of the best games are the ones based on film franchises, although that is not always the case and it can be a very hit and miss genre.

A couple of games that were released into the online casinos this month include the Lucky Streak game, which seems a little retro at first glance, but actually comes with many bonus rounds and extra features. A lot of money can be made very quickly with this game, but it can be a little confusing at first so make sure you give it a few practice runs. Another new game to be released this month is Triple Diamond, which is a little less exciting that Lucky Streak and a little more old school in its layout and its play.

Hold Up

Gamblers aren’t the only ones keen to get their hands on pokies these days, as a group of armed men have recently been terrorising venues with pokies throughout Australia. The gang have held up over a dozen venues, and in one of their most recent attacks they assaulted a security guard, smashing him in the face with the butt of a gun, before dragging a mother and her child out of a car to use it as a getaway vehicle.

The men are typically armed with guns and knives and have been committing these crimes since December last year, a crime spree that has netted them a lot of money, but one that has also terrorised pubs, clubs and other pokie venues throughout the country. No one has been seriously hurt as of yet, but many witnesses, people eating or drinking at the venues, and those playing the very machines that were robbed, have understandably been traumatised by the events and there is a nationwide manhunt underway to find the culprits.