‘Sharon’ has been addicted to poker machines ‘pokies’ since they first arrived in Australia in 1992.
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Through this animated documentary, she reveals the devastating impact gambling has had on her life. Her story culminates with an incident that pushes her over the edge: an encounter with her seven-year-old daughter and her precious piggy bank.
Warning – viewers may find the content of this film distressing. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email [email protected] or [email protected]. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org
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#BrightLights #Gambling #Pokies #PokerMachines #Australia
If you want to know more you can read our Q&A with the filmmaker ► https://www.theguardian.com/news/2021/jan/25/bright-lights-an-animated-exploration-of-the-devastating-grip-of-poker-machines
It’s ok to steal your child’s savings from the piggy bank because… you will pay it back just as soon as you hit the jackpot… right?… 🎰😐
Powerful video
fantastic animation
I'm driving to the casino right now to get addicted
In Illinois we have slot machines everywhere…gas stations liquor stores. Resturants….
That isn't a rational place to end the story.
This is incredibly well done and amazingly well narrated. Thank you.
casino thanks you for the free cash
Cringe
I hate gambling. I saw it destroy someone I was close to. He’d run in the gas station for gas and he’d come back out to the car furious because he just lost 2-5k in one of these. I watched him make almost a million in two years (selling drugs) and loose all of it in a few months. He was a bad person but I didn’t realize how real gambling addiction was until I saw him go through this.
I can’t see myself sitting in front of a machine losing money. Doesn’t make sense at all to me. Ain’t that much boredom in the world.
I know it's not real but that ending just kills me. The little kid handing over the money uuuueeegh.
you cant win if u dont play lol
I was at the casino the other day and some dude said too the dealer, “hey i got too much money” 😂
My gambling addition caused me to max out my credit card… im 27 years old
So let me get this straight. She had a gambling addiction which pushed her partner away AND SHE GOT TO KEEP THE KIDS ? This is ridiculous.
Gambling was never my thing, drugs were. But gambling is even more pernicious I believe.
Give me £1000 for drugs and I could make that last a couple of days.
Give it to a FOBT and it'll last an hour.
Just lost another 560$ tonight now broke no gas $ no food $ nothing
Watching this after having FanDuel for just a week 😂 it’s scarrrry how easy you can get hooked. First day I downloaded the app it let me know I was on there for 4 hours straight. Never went back
I lost 3300 last week thinking I would win back the money I lost the casinos are super fun but they are a scam
I worked in pubs in Sydney and watched people week after week come in and feed their whole wage or pension into those machines… sometimes in just a few hours… and they'd all rise with the same glazed look of horror as they stumbled back out onto the street. Tradies, single Mums, middle-class shiny shoe types, poor people, old diggers… all the same in the Pokie room… It's pure evil.
As a mother, the scene where she took her daughters piggy bank money made me tear up. I can’t imagine going through an addiction like this.
Unfortunately this kind of addiction I feel like it's not taken seriously enough
I'll tell you what mine cost me. I live in a sober house. I felt like using today. So instead I took the $550 I had in my wallet and spent all of it on scratch offs. Lost of course. Cried like a baby. But I learned 2 lesson. Gambling kept me sober bc now I definitely don't have any money for drugs. Also that gambling can become an addition as well. I can't win for losing.
Now this sound gonna sit in my head for a while..lol
I play on bet 365 which makes me want to chug bleach after losing my pay check
Thank you for sharing this video!!!!!
The lucky ones lose, the unlucky ones win. init that what they say.
That's it???
If I buy scratchers, I keep all the losers, then add up the losses…that'll wake you up. Lol
Stealing from your own children that is the addiction at its finest 😂😂
This is where my sister is when I gave her my savings for her home 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
I feel so, i ve struggling to quit, it's difficult because sometimes is a way of escaping reality, and then u come accross with what you have done and it hits u hard, all the things u could have done.
Heres how to solve a gambling problem (WORKS) : Card Counting!!!
The most worst thing to have as a habit just as worst as drugs and alcohol my sisters life is wrecked bye it and she can't stop spending her life away shocking
Gambling is trash run away.
If you need help with a gambling addiction, you can always get help. If you can't lose money, you can't gamble.
I go by the philosophy that gambling is just entertainment for people who can afford the loss. I think it's the biggest cause gambling is not realizing how much you will lose in long term. If you want to gamble, make sure to know the house edges and expected losses for the bet sizes that you want to do. If the expected loss is worth the entertainment, you can do it.
If you do not find gambling fun, there is no point in doing it. It's basically spending money for no reason.
I started gambling at 13 i am now 15 and i can say the addiction is still strong.
I’m 20 years old and I’m scared I won’t be able to stop
She should have sold her skins
I wish we could come together and support one another. Who else can help us but us? Nobody understands our issues
I just 10,000 dollars 😔 going all in next game baby !
Gambling was promoted big time in England during the pandemic 🤬
”there’s not a jackpot big enough to win back what you’ve lost and you’re still there"
That hit hard