Pokies, Hypnosis and AFL

[Mofra]

Ok, some good points. Particularly in regards to competition. It has to be addressed across the clubs as a whole. So I think I am barking up the wrong tree. It's the AFL that has to take a bit of responsibility for this. Incidentally, where did you get the stat on us being bottom three ? It's a bit different from the stat I have but not saying you are wrong.

The bastion of editorial accuracy

(a post on BF taken from the Hun).

[Daughter of the West]

Western Australia has no pokies.

They do have pokies actually, just in the casino. But they also have vast quantities of minerals in their state that they can dig up and collect taxes on that Victoria doesn't.

WA also only has two teams battling for your AFL membership.

The problem is with an issue like this is it's a race to the bottom. Victoria looks at NSW and thinks, "They've got pokies and they're getting taxes from Victorian citizens, jeez, we should get us some of that!" Same with AFL clubs. "Gee, Collingwood are racking it in in our area, we should get us some of those." And then when everyone turns around and works out that they're at rock bottom, totally dependent on gaming machine revenue, they think, "Oh sh*t, how are we going to fix this? We love the cash, but we're being slightly pricked by our moral conscience... Ah screw it, everyone else is doing it!" (Both at a state and AFL level)

I don't know what the answer is regarding gaming machines, but it's a complex, complex balancing act between individual freedoms and saving people from themselves. As a football club, unless we can find a surefire way to replace that lost revenue, what do we do? I definitely appreciate the noble sentiment Ghost Dog and I do also believe that it would be fantastic to be ahead of the curve for a change in terms of raising funds, but at a purely practical level, could we survive without the funds?

*Cue rich benefactors stepping in right here to make up the difference in funding *

[Ghost Dog]

They do have pokies actually, just in the casino. But they also have vast quantities of minerals in their state that they can dig up and collect taxes on that Victoria doesn't.

WA also only has two teams battling for your AFL membership.

The problem is with an issue like this is it's a race to the bottom. Victoria looks at NSW and thinks, "They've got pokies and they're getting taxes from Victorian citizens, jeez, we should get us some of that!" Same with AFL clubs. "Gee, Collingwood are racking it in in our area, we should get us some of those." And then when everyone turns around and works out that they're at rock bottom, totally dependent on gaming machine revenue, they think, "Oh sh*t, how are we going to fix this? We love the cash, but we're being slightly pricked by our moral conscience... Ah screw it, everyone else is doing it!" (Both at a state and AFL level)

I don't know what the answer is regarding gaming machines, but it's a complex, complex balancing act between individual freedoms and saving people from themselves. As a football club, unless we can find a surefire way to replace that lost revenue, what do we do? I definitely appreciate the noble sentiment Ghost Dog and I do also believe that it would be fantastic to be ahead of the curve for a change in terms of raising funds, but at a purely practical level, could we survive without the funds?

*Cue rich benefactors stepping in right here to make up the difference in funding *

Well played Daughter O' the West. Enjoyed the read.
Yeah it's not black and white , and I you've summed it up with some fair points.

Ta' for reminding me about Casinos. I'm not sure the mining issue sits as a valid reason for suggesting it's easier for WA to take the path it does. WA got by quite well without pokies in pubs and clubs well before the mining boom. That argument gets rolled out here in the Eastern states. Quite a lot of their taxes also get pumped East as well, but that's a different issue.

IMO the best we can hope for is to gather a small bunch of like-minded members from all clubs to form some sort of whinge group. Petition all clubs and the AFL and say, do what you can, you decide, but take some responsibility for side effects of our chosen funding technology. Geelong have their partnership with Gambler's help, I can't see anything wrong with, bare minimum, supporting a similar initiative. Better than nothing. Hell, maybe we already do? Anyone know?

Western Bulldogs does some great things in the West, trumpeting itself as the community club. Needs to show its colours on this one or it takes the shine off a bit. Anyway, regards of the feel-good stuff, we need the money, but the horse has bolted, and it's name is Mr Wilkie.

Below an article on the SANFL and the headaches the new legislation is going to cause them.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/...-1226375682332

Independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie last week reluctantly backed the Federal Government's diluted pokie reforms, which must now be considered in the Senate. As tough as it is, Mr Benson ( CEO of Sturt) said clubs had to find a way to survive without pokies.

"The challenge for us is to find a future where our total reliance on gaming is diminished," he said.

Good point with the White knights thing too. We really need a few!

[LostDoggy]

Queensland has mining, pokies and two football teams.