Your View: Should pokie machines be banned from pubs?

New Zealanders lost a record $2.07 billion at the TAB, on poker machines, casino games and Lotto last year with bets totalling more than $16 billion - or more than $3600 for every man, woman and child.

Let's narrow it down to pokie machines, often described as the 'crack cocaine of gambling'.

What do you think? Are these machines just a bit of 'harmless fun', or are they dangerous and addictive? Should they be banned, or limited?

It's also true that 37 per cent of profits are being returned to the community, and many clubs and not-for-profit organisations rely on this.

Do you play on them, or does someone you are close to? Does it cause problems?

What could publicans do to as responsible hosts to minimise harm caused by gambling?

Tell us your story, and vote in our poll.