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FireGilbert · 10-20-2018, 05:07 PM

Well Cecil you have definitely picked a topic I am passionate about. The Opera House horse race fiasco has really made me realise how much of a gambling problem this country has and how much influence gambling has on the government.

When I first moved to Australia from Canada there was very little culture shock but I was amazed at the prevalence and social acceptance of gambling. There is not really such a thing as a sports bar here, instead you get pubs filled with poker machines and sports betting with a small area for food and drinks. Even horse racing is mainstream. Victoria gets a day off for the Melbourne Cup and it is pretty much a rule the rest of the country must stop work and put a bet on the race.

I have no problem with gambling and people can spend their money however they want but things have gone too far here as the stats show. People are spending a significant portion of their income on what is essentially an extra tax and wealth transfer to the rich. You can't go anywhere without passing somewhere to place a bet (there are 15 off track betting shops within 5km of my house) and television is filled with adds for betting especially during sporting events. This all completely overwhelms any information showing the risks and consequences of problem gambling which is usually just a quick "gamble responsibly" at the end of an add. Even a recent gambling awareness campaign was nothing more than one person handing out pamphlets at one mall in Western Sydney.

I am also becoming increasingly concerned over the influence on gambling on the government. A few years ago lock out laws were introduced in Sydney preventing bar entry after 1:30am and drinks after 3am under the guise of preventing drinking violence. Of course bars with gambling machines and the casino were exempt. This has resulted in devastating the local bar and music scene and turned a city with a vibrant 24-7 economy into a quiet boring city where the only thing to do late as night is place a bet. Combine this with the fact the new tallest building in the city will be a casino, the flip-flop on greyhound racing, and the premier overruling the Opera House to advertise a horse race barrier draw and something smells really fishy here.

I do not see an easy solution as an addiction to gambling revenue and influence from gambling interests has infected both major political parties. This cannot be sustainable and one day I hope the politicians can make the tough decisions to slowly wean themselves off the revenue and influence of gambling. There is plenty of room for gambling to continue being a part of the culture but this country needs to tone things down a bit.

10-20-2018, 05:07 PM	#9
FireGilbert Franchise Player Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Brisbane Exp:	Well Cecil you have definitely picked a topic I am passionate about. The Opera House horse race fiasco has really made me realise how much of a gambling problem this country has and how much influence gambling has on the government. When I first moved to Australia from Canada there was very little culture shock but I was amazed at the prevalence and social acceptance of gambling. There is not really such a thing as a sports bar here, instead you get pubs filled with poker machines and sports betting with a small area for food and drinks. Even horse racing is mainstream. Victoria gets a day off for the Melbourne Cup and it is pretty much a rule the rest of the country must stop work and put a bet on the race. I have no problem with gambling and people can spend their money however they want but things have gone too far here as the stats show. People are spending a significant portion of their income on what is essentially an extra tax and wealth transfer to the rich. You can't go anywhere without passing somewhere to place a bet (there are 15 off track betting shops within 5km of my house) and television is filled with adds for betting especially during sporting events. This all completely overwhelms any information showing the risks and consequences of problem gambling which is usually just a quick "gamble responsibly" at the end of an add. Even a recent gambling awareness campaign was nothing more than one person handing out pamphlets at one mall in Western Sydney. I am also becoming increasingly concerned over the influence on gambling on the government. A few years ago lock out laws were introduced in Sydney preventing bar entry after 1:30am and drinks after 3am under the guise of preventing drinking violence. Of course bars with gambling machines and the casino were exempt. This has resulted in devastating the local bar and music scene and turned a city with a vibrant 24-7 economy into a quiet boring city where the only thing to do late as night is place a bet. Combine this with the fact the new tallest building in the city will be a casino, the flip-flop on greyhound racing, and the premier overruling the Opera House to advertise a horse race barrier draw and something smells really fishy here. I do not see an easy solution as an addiction to gambling revenue and influence from gambling interests has infected both major political parties. This cannot be sustainable and one day I hope the politicians can make the tough decisions to slowly wean themselves off the revenue and influence of gambling. There is plenty of room for gambling to continue being a part of the culture but this country needs to tone things down a bit. Last edited by FireGilbert; 10-20-2018 at 05:15 PM.