KEY POINTS:
Addicted gamblers be warned - the odds always favour the house.
That's the blunt message from Dunedin Casino in posters and brochures designed to be a wake-up call for problem gamblers.
The casino was strongly criticised and had its licence suspended for two days last year after it allowed gambling addict Christine Keenan to wager more than $6 million during three years. Keenan was jailed for three years for stealing money to fund her addiction. Now, the new publications are being displayed in the casino to deter problem gamblers with the clear message - "Expect to lose".
"Casino gaming should not be considered a way to make money,"says the A4-sized poster. "In some games, player betting or skill decisions can affect the house advantage, but the house always has an advantage against the typical player.
"Because the odds always favour the house, the longer, the faster or the more a person wagers, the more that person should expect to lose."
A brochure explicitly spells out the odds on each game. Baccarat is a good bet for a punter at just 1.2 per cent advantage to the house. Some gaming machines can go as high as 9.5 per cent.
Dunedin Casino general manager Nick Winder denies the initiative is a reaction to the Keenan controversy. "I don't feel any pressure to do that. I'm not trying to do this as a PR exercise. I know some people have views about what kind of places casinos are. But it's about caring for customers; it's about providing a responsible service."
Groups dealing with problem gamblers have cautiously welcomed the move, although they remain unconvinced that casinos are dealing with all the issues. "I would strongly support any initiative which debunks these myths about gambling," said Major Lynette Hutson from the Salvation Army. "It's an incredibly dangerous product they are engaging in, and they do have legal obligations."
The Department of Internal Affairs requires all casinos to have policies to minimise harm. It said Dunedin Casino's had, on its own initiative, gone beyond the minimum regulatory requirements.
Peter Treacy from SkyCity Casinos said his company offers a range of printed information on its gaming floors.
The odds
The casino will always win in any game you play, but the odds vary.
For example, in baccarat, the house advantage is 1.2 per cent, meaning that over time for every $100 you gamble you will lose $1.20.
For other games the house advantages are:
* roulette - 2.7 per cent
* blackjack - 2.0 per cent
* poker - 7.5 per cent
* pokies (1c) - 9.5 per cent
* pokies ($1) - 6.0 per cent.
