Tag: problem gambling
Gambling Action Group – Facebook group
Occasionally, I like to use these pages to make mention of other groups, websites or organisations that are taking up the fight against problem gambling and irresponsible industry practices. One such group has recently sprung up on Facebook; I’m referring to the Gambling Action Group.
nsw olgr – making the vcgr look good
I’ve written a fair bit about the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation over the past few months. No surprises there, as they continue to make bewildering and questionable decisions about poker machine gambling in Victoria, and are seen by many (least of all me) as little more than a rubber stamp for the gambling industry.
But I have a confession to make. I’ve recently come to a troubling conclusion, one that has rocked me to my core.
When it’s all said and done, the VCGR isn’t that bad. It could be a hell of a lot worse. There, I said it.
clubs australia rubbishes wilkie’s $1 push… what a surprise
Today’s Sydney Morning Herald carries a story about Clubs Australia’s response to Andrew Wilkie’s commitment to introducing a $1 “per-push” cap on poker machines. Their executive director, Anthony Ball, airs his views on the matter… and I couldn’t have hoped for a more predictable response.
wilkie vs the pokies
Take a look through the pokie-related news stories of the past few days, and one name pops up nine times out of ten. Andrew Wilkie, Independent soon-to-be Federal MP for Dennison. Wilkie has been receiving broad national coverage for his stance on a number of issues, primarily pokies reform, and his insistence that any major party wishing to deal with him will have to go a long way towards accomodating his list of priorities.
gillard, abbott and the pokies of rooty hill
Last night saw an interesting moment in the current Federal election campaign. Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott, live on stage at the Rooty Hill RSL in Sydney’s west… but not at the same time. An audience of 200 undecided voters to ask them the hard questions… although they seemed quite partial to Abbott, and saved the hardest questions for Gillard. I guess that’s inevitable, given he’s the local boy.
But for me, the event provided a telling snapshot of the political world’s attitude towards poker machines and problem gambling. Rooty Hill RSL is massive, with a bowling alley and a laser skirmish centre to complement the 800 pokies in residence. Yes, 800 machines… as a Victorian, with our venue cap of 105 machines, that figure is almost unfathomable.
election 2010 – the silence is deafening
I’ve held off on commenting too much about this over the past week or so, but here we are. Two weeks out from the Federal Election of 2010, and to date neither of the major parties have said a word about problem gambling. Nothing. As far as they’re concerned it’s a non-issue.
the pokies and public perception
It’s hard to imagine any other legal leisure activity that is as widely reviled and criticised as playing the pokies. The large percentage of our population who don’t play poker machines, or do so very rarely, view them with disdain. Screens full of cartoon images, flashing lights, annoying music, and the oh-so-tiny chance of a payout in return for the dollars and hours spent… pokies are viewed as the refuge of the stupid, the lazy and the irresponsible.
woolworths – oh, the irony
I’m not one to laugh at the misfortune of others. Lord knows I’ve created enough misfortune in my own life for me to ever do that.
And I would certainly never advocate breaking the law. I’m constantly thankful that I never reached that level.
But I couldn’t help raising a wry smile when I read the news tonight about Stuart Oswin, a Woolworths manager from Brisbane.
buck the pokie habit – by sue neales
The following article by Sue Neales was published in The Mercury on 24 July 2010. It is an exceptional analysis of the impact of problem gambling on Tasmanian society, but is relevant to every state in this country.
Article Courtesy of Sue Neales and The Mercury, Hobart
auditor-general tells doj, vcgr to shape up
Victoria’s Auditor-General tabled a report in state parliament today. The report was a performance audit on Taking Action on Problem Gambling, a strategy drawn up in 2006 to tackle problem gambling. TAoPG was to be jointly implemented by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation (VCGR).
I’ve read the audit report, and you know what? It’s a surprisingly good read, at least when you compare it to reports released by the VCGR and the Productivity Commission… but I digress.
