Pokies, Hypnosis and AFL

[LostDoggy]

That's a bit different than wiping them out altogether (from the general community).

Yes. It is.
Who mentioned wiping them out from general community?

[Ghost Dog]

Its a highly regulated industry and if the club complies with all the rules then I'm not sure we can be too critical. My preference would be that we avoid them but I'm not fussed either way.

I don't think we have to follow North or any other clubs lead on this.

Just because there is regulation doesn't mean it's GOOD regulation.
It's an excuse that doesn't wash with me. The club has to decide what's best for itself. If it cares about what paid members think ( they probably do ) as a paid member, you are not bothered, while I think the club is on a loser with pokies.
I'm hearing from you that to you, pokies are not such a big issue. That's ok, many will probably agree.

IMO New legislation is coming; Just a matter of time. Our relationship with pokies makes us vulnerable to it. it will wipe an estimated 30 Million dollars from the collective coffers of the AFL clubs involved. Futhermore, given the flawed nature of this technology, why would we support its use as a fundraising tool?

What the Kangaroos do is their business ( I was being tounge in cheek before about them outdoing us) but they have proved this.
Gambling revenue is not neccessary to run a successful football club.

[Ghost Dog]

You did, or am I missing something?



I read this as you want pokies wiped out of our club? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Correct. I don't support the use of flawed gambling technology to support our club.
I'm not against gambling now and forever as a revenue source. Just talking here about this type of technology.

[LostDoggy]

Ok, so now we are back on the same page, I'll say again...

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.

P.S this is not sarcasm. I really mean good luck with what you are chasing.

[Ghost Dog]

Ok, so now we are back on the same page, I'll say again...



P.S this is not sarcasm. I really mean good luck with what you are chasing.

Thanks for the good luck?
You are for, against or not fussed if we use pokies to fund our club?

[AndrewP6]

Yes. It is.
Who mentioned wiping them out from general community?

You did.

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.

[immortalmike]

Not a huge fan of them. As somewhat of a crisis counsellor I hear many stories of how they can ruin lives and break-up families. But then again I hear about twice as many about how alcohol does very similar things. And in saying that both are used by the vast majority as fun diversions and nothing more. I'm never a fan of limiting freedom in order to save (a minority of) people from themselves.

So the question is should we eliminate the use of pokies by our club as a stream of revenue just in case there are some problem gamblers that will use them? And should we limit the sale of alcohol by our club (in I guess the new Edgewater facility) just in case there are a few alcoholics around?
My answer is probably not. But I can see why some are uncomfortable with their use.

[GVGjr]

Just because there is regulation doesn't mean it's GOOD regulation.
It's an excuse that doesn't wash with me. The club has to decide what's best for itself. If it cares about what paid members think ( they probably do ) as a paid member, you are not bothered, while I think the club is on a loser with pokies.
I'm hearing from you that to you, pokies are not such a big issue. That's ok, many will probably agree.

I think your issue is more with the Pokies in general and as such putting the onus on the club to step away from it would be a minor win at best and to be honest (and to use your phrase) it doesn't wash with me.

If you really are committed to this then the problem needs to be fixed at a National level not a local one. The reform in Smoking and the selling of cigarettes was never to stop the local milk bar or Supermarket selling them it was done with education and restrictions and as a result there are less smokers now than there was 10 years ago. The trend would suggest it will be better again in another 10 years which indicates it's working but perhaps not to the pace that many would wish for. Initially a lot of people didn't think that was a good regulation either.

The club having a link with the Pokies isn't significant in my opinion.

[LostDoggy]

You did.

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.

No I didn't.
I have not stated anywhere "general community".
This above was in response to GD wanting them wiped out from our club.

[LostDoggy]

Thanks for the good luck?
You are for, against or not fussed if we use pokies to fund our club?

I hate pokies. However I am afraid we are talking about ideal world issues. Unfortunately we don't live in an ideal world.
As far as using this device as funding for our club, this is my "can of worms" issue I was talking about. The thread could easily turn into a lecture about capitalism, Bureaucracy, and Karl Marx.
Look, on one side I see why the club has them, but the other I'm with you and see the destruction they cause. But removing them from our club only, will probably just result in the "problem gamblers" heading down the street to the next pub. Then we miss out on the revenue generated from the non problem gamblers.

[azabob]

But removing them from our club only, will probably just result in the "problem gamblers" heading down the street to the next pub. Then we miss out on the revenue generated from the non problem gamblers.

So rather than be part of a solution, we should continue to be part of the problem?
If you can't beat em, join em hey?

[KT31]

Not a huge fan of them. As somewhat of a crisis counsellor I hear many stories of how they can ruin lives and break-up families. But then again I hear about twice as many about how alcohol does very similar things. And in saying that both are used by the vast majority as fun diversions and nothing more. I'm never a fan of limiting freedom in order to save (a minority of) people from themselves.

So the question is should we eliminate the use of pokies by our club as a stream of revenue just in case there are some problem gamblers that will use them? And should we limit the sale of alcohol by our club (in I guess the new Edgewater facility) just in case there are a few alcoholics around?
My answer is probably not. But I can see why some are uncomfortable with their use.

Good post.

[LostDoggy]

So rather than be part of a solution, we should continue to be part of the problem?
If you can't beat em, join em hey?

If that is the way you feel. No one can tell you you're wrong.
I don't think it is that cut and dry though.

[Mofra]

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?

No, they don't. There is not a single club in the AFL or NRL that is "prospering" without pokies.

Noth had a membership boost based on prospects of playing finals, nothing more.
It's easy to forget that North had the "Kanga Kasino" at Arden St and removal of Pokies was a condition of funding, not some sort of moral crusade.

[Murphy'sLore]

For what it's worth I agree with you Ghost Dog, but it looks like you might struggle to get much support from others. If asked to choose between 'what's good for our club' and 'what's good for society in general', the former seems likely to outweigh the latter for most members.