A sense of civic duty

[RantyDave]

Gambling is effectively a tax on the innumerate

You know, I used to think that too, but then I had an epiphany: Gambling is a service industry. They provide excitement. People enjoy having a few bucks on the Melbourne Cup - there was genuine value delivered.

The Pokies, though, are a different beast entirely. And should be banned. As should prescription drug adverts on TV (only us and the USA have these).

Dave

[janno]

Now, my question is… evolution don’t leave non-functional traits lying around for no reason. What’s the function of impulsive behaviour.

Throw your rock at that mastodon NOW before it lumbers off over the horizon . . . debate about the wisdom of it later when you are masticating delicious trunk of mastodon . . .

[mbazza]

Gambling, smoking, drinking, eating. Are all of these fueled by the addictive section of our various personalities?
State controlled gambling, smoking and drinking controlled by revenue gathering does little to assist those of us aflicted.
Not that I am, of course! Must get a Lotto ticket for the 20th birthday draw this week.
The very first weekend of Lotto we had a big win. We got a son! Can't beat that. He's twenty now and can lift heavy things, very useful. Cheers.

[Mutley]

...The very first weekend of Lotto we had a big win. We got a son! Can't beat that. He's twenty now and can lift heavy things, very useful. Cheers.

Ditto, almost. Ours was a daughter, petite and pretty but big on noise and ideas. Love her to bits.

[jrandom]

You know, I used to think that too, but then I had an epiphany: Gambling is a service industry. They provide excitement.

Yes; I should have been more specific.

Gambling on sporting events, horse racing, rugby, whatever, even politics, is a lot more than simply rolling dice against set odds. If you know a lot about the competitors, you have a much better chance of winning. The motivation to get into the event in question is quite possibly worth a moderate sum of money for many people. Likewise with card games, etc, where the social aspect adds a whole dimension to the experience.

But pokies, lotteries, and the like? No human contact, no unknown variables, just machines grinding relentlessly through predetermined pseudo-random outputs while stupid people hand over their money.

[Drum]

You need a better bike.

You need to understand that we are all different and get our kicks in different ways. Just because you think something is not acceptable doesn't mean that is the case.

[pete376403]

I agree... my point was that @ least some does go back even if it is only 1% of whats thrown away in machines.

(1) The minimum amount of net proceeds that a licence holder
must distribute for authorised purposes is the proportion
equivalent to 37.12% of its GST exclusive gross proceeds for
each of its financial years.

http://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/Files/Reg2004365/$file/Reg2004365.pdf

Refers specifically to non-casino (ie sky city, etc) operations such as pubs & clubs

[Hitcher]

It's time to start the Doomsday Clock ticking.

[avgas]

It's time to start the Doomsday Clock ticking.

Is it metric?

[Hitcher]

Is it metric?

Depends what one uses to measure it.

[F5 Dave]

ya know I was thinking about the horse racing this morning. Is only between 8-13% of gambling money spent. Seems strange the amount of media coverage the equine flu is receiving. Poor horses getting sick, but it isn't fatal.

Is pretty terrible for the industry, across Australia they may lose 500 million this weekend alone!

um, hold on. This means 500 million was saved from the Joe Average who unless they went out of their way to blow the money elsewhere would have retained it for things like paying the rent, feeding the family & children's education etc.

Sport of Kings? - Does make you think.

As I was washing my dirtbike (risky sport) I was thinking, I would like to record the Pokie machine owners advice to their children to play on national media.

Would it go along the lines of "Fools are easily parted from their money, it paid for your education & this nice house, but don't let me catch you being one of these fools" ??

[The Pastor]

Pokies? I think they should be banned, There all rigged anyway

But I love texas holdem poker, I've never gambled any real money, but i play online and anyone who will want to play me. I wou'dnt mind entering in a small tournament $20-$50 etc, but havnt really seen one that I like - or know anything about them. (other than net/cellphone tourneys!)

So much fun.

as I'm at work i'll type some more words.

Should we "ban" all "gambling"? Don't we live in a "free" socity? (sp)

I don't think we actually can under our current democratic goverment.

personally, I dont like 100% democorcy. It takes forever to get somthing done.
I think a democatic dictator is what we need, somone who can make new laws up on the spot, make people do what ever he says when he says etc. However there would be an unchangeable constitution to limit his powers within reason. etc, he can't run around and go kill people, and there would still be elections, every year. Sure there are a few big negitives with that system but think of the money we would save not paying MP's!

I'll run for dictator - vote for me and i'll build a 4 (lane each way) motorway from whanagrei to wellington within a year.

[MSTRS:Me]

Haven't read it all, but my take is that gambling of any type is aimed at the greed of people, the greediest (read as 'suckers') tend to be those that have the least, they believe that one big win and they'll be set for life. For the few that do get a big win, because of where they were in the financial stakes, they probably have poor skills in handing their finances, so will therefore not be able to handle the vast sum now at their disposal.
Think the old adage 'A fool and his money are soon parted'

[Ocean1]

Haven't read it all, but my take is that gambling of any type is aimed at the greed of people, the greediest (read as 'suckers') tend to be those that have the least, they believe that one big win and they'll be set for life. For the few that do get a big win, because of where they were in the financial stakes, they probably have poor skills in handing their finances, so will therefore not be able to handle the vast sum now at their disposal.
Think the old adage 'A fool and his money are soon parted'

Correct. I remember reading a report which followed the lives of several lottery winners. A decade down the track most of them had little to show for their win.

[tri boy]

This thread has started to spiral down upon itself, to the point where any form of gambling becomes wrong. (thats crazy).
Re the sick ponies: Yes, it may save a few dollars being spent by a small percentage of people that have a serious problem(except they will gamble on two flies if need be). However, spare a thought for the thousands of people who earn a living in said industry, float drivers, caterers, trainers, stewards, gate/ticket collectors etc. Should they all lose their jobs because a small group of gamblers can't control their funds, so somebody makes a decision to shut down all gambling?
Fuck that. who wants to live in such a soceity that mothers everybody, to protect a few.
If you wish to help problem gamblers, go ahead, join the relevant group that is genuinely trying. But don't drag joe citizen into yet another form of prohibition. Rant over.