The evidence – made available to the Australian public today via a website www.epost.net.au/aagm/ (Action Against Gaming Machines), was obtained by an individual’s research into gaming machines through correspondence with the Australian Productivity Commission. It proves that gaming machines in Australia do not return the statutory minimum of 87% to the player, and as a result damages are sought from the Australian Federal Government, private industry corporates and associated industry groups.

Whilst the Productivity Commission and the Australian Government maintain that their calculations of the expected return to players are statistically correct, the examples of evidence provided on the website show how varying intensity of play makes it impossible to specify a player return compared to repeated intensity of play which is how the statistical calculations are made, and the legislation is based. Varying intensity is the fundamental way in which gaming machines are operated by the consumer.

Utilising the Productivity Commission’s AGM Software developed in conjunction with Aristocrat Leisure Industries (Australia’s leading gaming machine manufacturer) which simulates the results from actual gaming machines, one of the examples of evidence shows that the return to the player is 57.20% over a 12 month period even though the statistical average is 87.20% as per statutory requirements. Another example, utilising the coin toss analogy which is known to be a ‘fair game’, shows that although the statistical average ‘player return rate’ is 100%, the actual ‘player return rate’ is 26.74% over a 12 month period due to the intensity of play. The legislation is based solely on the ‘player return rate’.

The website, which allows visitors to become a class member via an online form, also provides gaming machine statistics. It is estimated that there are currently more than 300,000 “problem gamblers” in Australia which account for more than A$3 billion in losses annually from a total of $11 billion in total gambling losses in Australia. These Australians directly affect an estimated 3 million people (1 in every 5 Australians). It is expected that as a minimum, these 300,000 “problem gamblers” will become class members in the class action.

Compensation for financial and personal losses will be sought for each class member, along with changes to existing gaming machine legislation. The Australian Federal Government, who rely heavily on over $3.5 billion of taxation from gambling turnover in Australia have been aware of the evidence for some time and continue to deny that gaming machines return less than the expected result to players.

An update of the current number of class members and the progress of the class action can be obtained by visiting the “case update” section of the AAGM website at www.epost.net.au/aagm/update.html.

Interviews and further information are offered to the media to interest their target audience.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Lana O’Shanassy
(612) 4872 3911
(612) 4872 3922
http://www.epost.net.au/aagm/