Pokies, Hypnosis and AFL

[Ghost Dog]

Last week began with GetUp member, renowned computer engineer, and the first woman and first living person inducted into the Australian ICT hall of fame, Ann Moffatt, speaking out on a Today Tonight segment. Ann revealed for the first time the unbelievable fact that a major poker machine manufacturer, still in business today, employed a team of 10 psychologists to develop pokie machine logic that would be passed on to Ann and her team of programmers to implement. When Ann found out, she terminated her company's relationship with the poker machine client.

Link

4 out of 5 problem gamblers are those who only use pokies ( source, Andrew Wilkie )


North Melbourne are the only club in the AFL that rejects the use of pokies outright.

Why can't we follow their lead? In my view, we should. It's a conflict with our efforts to be otherwise community minded, and poor PR for the club to be linked to the revenue source. Never mind that Legislation is about to be introduced that will greatly restrict funds ( greatly affecting the Dogs, Collingwood and West Coast in particular ) clubs can generate using the machines. This will happen, like it or not - we need to be one step ahead and prepare for this.

A good time for fans to register their views. If you're a member or fan and feel as I do, encourage you to write to the club.

[Eastdog]

I know that we have the Peninsula Club in Dromana that is operated by the club. I wonder how much revenue comes from that.

[LostDoggy]

Unethical and poor PR for the club to be linked to the revenue source.

Your opening a can of worms aren't you?
You could put up the same arguments for Alcohol. It is sold to people to make a profit, it is unhealthy, and people can have major problems with it....

Cigarettes, alcohol, gambling is a big industry to wipeout.
Good luck Ghost Dog.

[Eastdog]

Your opening a can of worms aren't you?
You could put up the same arguments for Alcohol. It is sold to people to make a profit, it is unhealthy, and people can have major problems with it....

Cigarettes, alcohol, gambling is a big industry to wipeout.
Good luck Ghost Dog.

Very true HairyMidget. At the end of the day it is a business and we as people make our own choices and have to take responsibility that's not to say we should stop encouraging people from smoking and pokies because they do have affects if you start getting addicted.

[BulldogBelle]

North Melbourne aren't exactly the ideal business model when it comes to financial positioning at this stage, so i'd prefer we focus on the more important issues that are glaring us right in the face.

[chef]

Your opening a can of worms aren't you?
You could put up the same arguments for Alcohol. It is sold to people to make a profit, it is unhealthy, and people can have major problems with it....

Cigarettes, alcohol, gambling is a big industry to wipeout.
Good luck Ghost Dog.

You can add unhealthy food.

[bornadog]

Your opening a can of worms aren't you?
You could put up the same arguments for Alcohol. It is sold to people to make a profit, it is unhealthy, and people can have major problems with it....

Cigarettes, alcohol, gambling is a big industry to wipeout.
Good luck Ghost Dog.

Add to that Macca's. KFC, Red Rooster etc etc

[bornadog]

North Melbourne aren't exactly the ideal business model when it comes to financial positioning at this stage, so i'd prefer we focus on the more important issues that are glaring us right in the face.

Yeah, like how are we going to make a Grand Final, and when

[Ghost Dog]

Your opening a can of worms aren't you?
You could put up the same arguments for Alcohol. It is sold to people to make a profit, it is unhealthy, and people can have major problems with it....

Cigarettes, alcohol, gambling is a big industry to wipeout.
Good luck Ghost Dog.

Who said I was trying to wipeout gambling? I'm talking about how we use it to meet our aims. Pokies are just one of many ways to raise money. This method ( factually ) harms people. We are involved. To throw your hands up and say ' who cares' while other clubs actually prosper without pokies begs the question; are we a community focused organisation?

North Melbourne aren't exactly the ideal business model when it comes to financial positioning at this stage, so i'd prefer we focus on the more important issues that are glaring us right in the face.

Pigs Ars*e. North had the greatest percentage increase of all clubs in membership for 2012
The Kangaroos at least have some guts on this issue. To say their financial management is poor is a factually innacurate. Name one area on the field or off in the past year where we have outperformed them?

Two years ago they were in a worse position than us.

as of 2012 they have successfully entered the Tasmanian market.
Made finals
Grew their membership ( outperforming us )
Made a profit

All without support from pokies.

You can add unhealthy food.

No idea what you are on about. Add unhealthy food to what? Nobody is trying to wipe out anything.

This is a pretty important issue. Wake up Dogs.

[AndrewP6]

I'm with GD on this one. No one said "Get rid of pokies, alcohol and smoking." THe point simply was that we should distance ourselves as a club from these sort of affiliations, and I agree.

[Ghost Dog]

I'm with GD on this one. No one said "Get rid of pokies, alcohol and smoking." THe point simply was that we should distance ourselves as a club from these sort of affiliations, and I agree.

Good to hear Andrew. Organising a delegation of members to meet with the club to raise this issue. more soon.

[Maddog37]

Is gambling addiction a disease?

[KT31]

Good to hear Andrew. Organising a delegation of members to meet with the club in protest. more soon.

So now we are no longer a social or football forum, we are now a political forum ?

[AndrewP6]

Is gambling addiction a disease?

Yes it is.

[Ghost Dog]

So now we are no longer a social or football forum, we are now a political forum ?

It's really about capital. Social and financial capital. How the club makes it. Being connected with this revenue source is not a good look and it will start to dry up once governments intervene. How is that good for the club?