Pokies the Moral Backbone of the Eastern States of Australia

[IFocus]

Its been fascinating watching the political conversation about the pokie pre-commitment laws being put up by Andrew Wilkie.

The whole game is corrupt given 40% of the profits come from problem gamblers.

Yet listen to the clubs and the world will end.

WA doesn't have pokies outside of the Casino and we seem to get on just fine.

Are the Eastern States of Australia so morally bankrupt and corrupt that they just believe anything that money tells them?

 

[drsmith]

Re: Pokies the Moral Back Bone of the Eastern States of Australia

Are the Eastern States of Australia so morally bankrupt and corrupt that they just believe anything that money tells them?

Is Julia Gillard so morally bankrupt and corrupt that she believes anything Andrew Wilkie tells her ?,

and Bob Brown ?,

and Tony Windsor ?,

and Rob Oakshott ?,

and the Malaysian Government ?,

obviously not Kevin Rudd.

 

[McLovin]

Yet listen to the clubs and the world will end.

Their world will end. Still, it's great watching them mount an argument about why you should steal from Peter to pay Paul (or give him cheap beers, as the case may be).

 

[So_Cynical]

Its been fascinating watching the political conversation about the pokie pre-commitment laws being put up by Andrew Wilkie.

The whole game is corrupt given 40% of the profits come from problem gamblers.

Yet listen to the clubs and the world will end.

WA doesn't have pokies outside of the Casino and we seem to get on just fine.

Are the Eastern States of Australia so morally bankrupt and corrupt that they just believe anything that money tells them?

In NSW the clubs are just great...when i haven't lived in NSW ive really missed the clubs, cheap food, free wifi, free buses, free/cheap entertainment free or cheap as, this and that....ya just don't get that anywhere else, and the pokies pay for that.

While i agree something needs to be done to help the problem gamblers..i also don't want to lose our wonderful clubs...on a typical Sunday at my local club there will be 60 or so pokie/video poker/blackjack/roulette players, 20 or so people and groups on laptops surfing and or Skypeing with family and friends, 30 or so eating and or drinking gourmet coffee.

20 or so people playing pool/billiards in the 6 table free billiard room, a dozen horse and sport punters watching the big screens..and maybe 15 or 20 people chatting and having a drink relaxing on the lounges, some groups playing cards and other board games....scenes you will never ever see in a pub in WA.

 

[LostMyShirt]

In NSW the clubs are just great...when i haven't lived in NSW ive really missed the clubs, cheap food, free wifi, free buses, free/cheap entertainment free or cheap as, this and that....ya just don't get that anywhere else, and the pokies pay for that.

While i agree something needs to be done to help the problem gamblers..i also don't want to lose our wonderful clubs...on a typical Sunday at my local club there will be 60 or so pokie/video poker/blackjack/roulette players, 20 or so people and groups on laptops surfing and or Skypeing with family and friends, 20 or so eating and or drinking gourmet coffee.

20 or so people playing pool/billiards in the 6 table free billiard room, a dozen horse and sport punters watching the big screens..and maybe 15 or 20 people chatting and having a drink relaxing on the lounges, some groups playing cards and other board games....scenes you will never ever see in a pub in WA.

Mate I couldn't agree with you more. It's all those things you mentioned which make the clubs great and while I agree problem gamblers do need some help - this nanny state style of regulation on neary all aspects of social habit and hobby is rediculous.

 

[moXJO]

The clubs also support a lot of local sporting activities, support for pensioners, and fundraising events. I don't like the idea that because of a few problem gamblers the whole population must now be affected. Awesome idea that communism

 

[joea]

Hi
Makes me wonder why yeah all have not realised that it will not stop with the Pokies.
It will not stop the gamblers. They can get access to a computer then play on line.
Races, and the Tab, etc, etc.

Gillard just needs another demand from another "boy wonder" or Independant, and watch how high she jumps.
She has "sold her soul" for power, and soon she must pay the price.
joea

 

[Surly]

I enjoyed the cheap beer and food in the pokie riddled pubs of the east but I found it like walking into some sort of flashing lights and bells zombieland.

I couldn't care less if someone wants to subsidise my night out but the clubs really need to put up a better argument if they wish people to believe they aren't making great profits from problem gamblers.

Alcohol is free in Vegas as long as you are gambling. As long as you leave having spent what you intended (or everything) how does it matter how they got it.

cheers
Surly

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

All these bothering anti pokies folk remind me of priests trying to legislate against sex outside of marriage. People have been gambling since well before Roman times.

One of my ancestors was a whiz in London at pall mall, and accumulated a small fortune with the dice, before he became over-excited with the mallet and was transported.

Next they will want to ban share trading.

gg

 

[Logique]

For the grey generation, clubs are their whole world. They live for it. Around here the clubs have free courtesy buses, they'll pick you up and drop you right to the door.

Not my idea of a vibrant lifestyle, but for a lot of people that's their weekly outing and socializing, heading off the the Friday night meat raffle at the club.

'Club world' is incredibly pervasive, but look at the benefits as summarized by So Cynical above.

Clubs are very influential in forming opinions, supplied to members on the club noticeboard. That's why Andrew Wilkie and the Govt are riding for a fall with these proposed restrictions.

 

[Logique]

...Next they will want to ban share trading.
gg

Or more likely with this govt, licence it. One would need to be a fit and proper person. And believe in global warming. And not be a reader of 'hate media'.

 

[Julia]

The clubs also support a lot of local sporting activities, support for pensioners, and fundraising events. I don't like the idea that because of a few problem gamblers the whole population must now be affected. Awesome idea that communism

Hi
Makes me wonder why yeah all have not realised that it will not stop with the Pokies.
It will not stop the gamblers. They can get access to a computer then play on line.
Races, and the Tab, etc, etc.

Agree. Being obliged to state how much money they are prepared to lose in a sitting (and it can be as high as they like) will not make an iota of difference to a gambling addict. Plenty of other options if they don't want to do this.
Just a pathetic example of a single-issue politician exercising his power over a minority government.

Or more likely with this govt, licence it. One would need to be a fit and proper person. And believe in global warming. And not be a reader of 'hate media'.

So true.

 

[Bryan1]

As I grew up in NSW I also grewup with pokies and soon saw what they were doing to alot of people. When I moved to SA the place was just hit with the run on the state bank BUT NO POKIES. A few years later the hotel mob bribed the govt to allow pokies in the state BUT unlike the eastern states where the money goes back into the community in SA the the money goes directly into the pub owners pockets. Now people will say pokies don't hurt the economy but in the first 9 months of the inception in SA 1 billion was taken out of the pockets of punters. That figure has said to be double or more these days and where is it all going yea some goes in tax but the bulk goes into the pub owners pockets.........

 

[moXJO]

That figure has said to be double or more these days and where is it all going yea some goes in tax but the bulk goes into the pub owners pockets.........

Most goes as tax. My mate owned a few pubs a couple of years back and for every 3 machines 2 were for tax and the other was in his pocket.

 

[Bill M]

In NSW the clubs are just great...when i haven't lived in NSW ive really missed the clubs, cheap food, free wifi, free buses, free/cheap entertainment free or cheap as, this and that....ya just don't get that anywhere else, and the pokies pay for that.

While i agree something needs to be done to help the problem gamblers..i also don't want to lose our wonderful clubs...on a typical Sunday at my local club there will be 60 or so pokie/video poker/blackjack/roulette players, 20 or so people and groups on laptops surfing and or Skypeing with family and friends, 30 or so eating and or drinking gourmet coffee.

20 or so people playing pool/billiards in the 6 table free billiard room, a dozen horse and sport punters watching the big screens..and maybe 15 or 20 people chatting and having a drink relaxing on the lounges, some groups playing cards and other board games....scenes you will never ever see in a pub in WA.

Couldn't agree with you more. I have knocked around the Manly Warringah area most of my life so I know a thing or 2 about pubs and clubs. Clubs like the Harbord Diggers and Dee Why RSL are mega clubs. They have everything from lawn bowls, Ten Pin Bowling, Darts, full gym, full on cabaret shows etc etc. People love them not just for the pokies. Sometimes I take a 2 hour hard walk and feel a bit thirsty so I drop into one of my clubs and walk up to the bar and help myself to a free cold glass of water and watch the big screen TV for a while. Then when I have rehydrated I continue on my walk. Try helping yourself in a pub and see what happens. Clubs are also far safer than the average pub and have better staff.

These clubs also give a lot of support and help to our ex servicemen. They also donate lots of money to surf clubs and donate state of the art medical machinery to our local public hospitals (something the pathetic state governments should be doing). The profits made from pokies pays for all that, I am proud to be member of my RSL clubs.

From one of my clubs website:
---
The club has continued to grow and today Dee Why RSL is proud to provide services to more than 40,000 members. The importance of the clubs heritage is remembered daily through the recital of The Ode which plays every evening at 6.00pm.

The Ode
They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn,
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
Lest we forget.

http://www.dyrsl.com.au/AboutUs/history.cfm
---

Mandatory pre commitment is a waste of time, won't achieve anything and will ultimately send small clubs out of business.

 

[LostMyShirt]

I have a question about the scheme; is there a maximum number you can nominate, or perhaps there is a waiting time or some sort of approval system in place or planned?

It just seems to me that upon being asked what our limits would be a common brush off answer would be something in the region of a rediculous number.

 

[Bill M]

I have a question about the scheme; is there a maximum number you can nominate, or perhaps there is a waiting time or some sort of approval system in place or planned?

It just seems to me that upon being asked what our limits would be a common brush off answer would be something in the region of a rediculous number.

There is no maximum as far as I know. The problem is social pokie players don't want to register on a government database so they will opt out.

The thing is the Government want the clubs to pay for the technical changes out of their funds and it will cost Millions of $$$$$$$$$$.

 

[Nonchalant]

As I grew up in NSW I also grewup with pokies and soon saw what they were doing to alot of people. When I moved to SA the place was just hit with the run on the state bank BUT NO POKIES. A few years later the hotel mob bribed the govt to allow pokies in the state BUT unlike the eastern states where the money goes back into the community in SA the the money goes directly into the pub owners pockets. Now people will say pokies don't hurt the economy but in the first 9 months of the inception in SA 1 billion was taken out of the pockets of punters. That figure has said to be double or more these days and where is it all going yea some goes in tax but the bulk goes into the pub owners pockets.........

Whilst I'm not au fait with the apportionment of revenue in SA, I am familiar with how it works in Vic. Here goes.
NMR (net machine revenue) is what goes into an EGM less what gets paid out.
Apportionment is as follows: Clubs - RSL and the like receive 33.3%.
Vic govt receives. 33.3%
Tabcorp or Tattersalls who own the machines receive. 33.3%

If you're a pub as opposed to a Club like the RSL, you receive 25% instead of the 33.3%. Reason being, the Vic govt has decreed that Clubs reinvest the income back into the club and therefore are providing a benefit to the community. Therefore, the 8.3% taken off pubs goes to the "Community Support Fund". Consequently, the govts share is increased to 41.6%. Not bad for not actually lifting a finger or laying capital on the line in order to make a profit!!!
There's approx 27000 EGM's in Vic. Pubs have 50% and Clubs have the remaing 50%.
Last FY revenue from EGM's in Vic was 2.6billon plus. Vic govt revenue from pokies is approx 1billion.

Rest assured Bryan1, the SA govt would not have introduced gaming machines into the state unless it received the lions share of profits.

 

[Gringotts Bank]

People wanting to play pokies should be required to provide documents outlining their past successes, R:R, expectancy, Sharpe ratio and maximum draw down.

Do you ever write something online and think: why did I write that.... it's not even funny?

 

[tech/a]

I personally play them now and again.

My rule is $50 risked.

If Im in profit I set a 50$ play limit so if its say $80 and it falls to $30 Im out.
If its $100 then Im at B/E.
$150-$100 etc etc.
If I lose the $50 I go.
If I win $300 (Including the $50) on any machine I cash out that machine and play another $ 50 on another.
I recieved some information that the most common max payout is $300.
Once I lose the $50 play limit win lose or draw---Im gone.

Overall I've lost $$s but have at times had some great wins that have been handy (I dont need to go to the hole in the wall for weeks!).

Ive NEVER lost a wink of sleep on a loss.
Ive never needed to play a pokie.
I CAN walk away have been as quick as 3 mins.

Ive watched others turn $1200 into a $1000 loss and carry on like their throats been cut!

If you can trade then I believe you can gamble responsibly in most anything.
I cant play poker!!
Only follow the Melbourne Cup Take out boxed trifectas around $500 (2 yrs ago won $7800 so that doesnt owe me anything --YET).
And am in a syndicate for lotto!