Wow. WA banned pokies when they gave Crown exclusive rights to “electronic gaming machines”…
OK folks. Move along. Nothing to see here. You can bet on that. Wink wink, nudge nudge.
It does not get much worse than this.
"Kelly Johnson* knew she’d reached rock bottom with her poker machine addiction when she didn’t have the money to feed her four children.
“I spent all of my husband’s wages in a day. For a fortnight that left us with no money for food and we had all the kids at home. It’s not something I am proud of.”
The Tasmanian estimates she lost over $100,000 on the pokies and says she played the machines as a way of coping with bipolar."
"In 1993, a 34-year-old businessman, who would go on to become one of Tasmania’s most powerful figures, made a stark warning about the social damage that would be caused if gaming machines were introduced into pubs and clubs in Australia’s poorest state.
In a submission to a Legislative Council inquiry, he said, “direct access to gaming machines in pubs and clubs would have a disastrous effect on the social and special culture of Tasmania”.
That man was Greg Farrell, and he signed the submission on behalf of Federal Hotels, later to be renamed the Federal Group. At the time he was trying to protect the monopoly his family’s company had over gaming machines which were then only allowed in their casinos.
Within six months Farrell was able to put those concerns to one side. Federals had by then been given the licence to run all gaming machines in pubs, clubs and casinos in Tasmania for free, without any tendering process. In the end Farrell and his four siblings would make hundreds of millions of dollars out of the licence."
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According to the report the system in Tasmania is how it is because of what the states elected governments have enabled.
While the Farrells have seen the opportunity, is the thumbs down shared by the last 3 decades of Tasmanian Governments and ultimately the voters who follow them.
Even the ALP in Tasmania has dropped the policy it proposed before the last state election to ban pokies in the state. Why this would be, the ABC article offers some suggestions. While voters vote, the gambling industry lobbies. Every one knows that a lobby flush always beats an full house of voters, hands down!
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One thing that can be said of Joh is that there were no pokies in Qld on his watch.
At least not any legal ones.
Joh and his government just removed the middle man, eg the pokies. Dollars went straight from us into the right pockets without any pretences. Pokies are at least a form of entertainment in the scheme of transfer.
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And there in lay a hornets nest of corruption, gambling and prostitution. Some would suggest under the careful regulation of a select group of the Government’s law officers.
The situation was not unique to Qld. The situation in NSW in the 1960’s not that different.
It was the Australian way, might also be true. Is all that has changed for gambling is the path the money follows? The starting and end points?
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Another sad story regarding problem gambling.
Another day, another Crown disgrace.
Another disgrace.
Another day. Another gambling scandal.
Another article reagarding the gambling cesspool.
"The tale of how politics and gambling became so deeply entwined in Australia is inseparable from the factors that have driven Australians to become the world’s biggest losers, squandering more on gambling per capita than any other nation.
Australia is arguably the world’s most prolific gambling market, says Monash University associate professor and gambling researcher Charles Livingstone. “It’s certainly the only place in the world where, across the country — with the exception of WA — you’ve got high-impact gaming machines in pubs and clubs.”
It appears that ;Labor and the unions are just as rotten to the core as the coalition and their millionaire mates.
The findings on the Victorian inquiry into Crown expected to be revealed tomorrow.
Will Crown get booted? Head to Crown to place your bets.
Unfortunately not.
And another disgrace.
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That $50,000 fine is a top ROI for syphoning $720,000. It will surely get their attention to straighten up, surely it will. 
I think casinos+gambling are our ‘guns’ (ref the USA) problem - it is endemic and embedded in society and governments will never do anything to really address it beyond some arm waving or wringing of hands from time to time.
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“BetEasy and the gambler reached a private settlement before the matter was heard by the Northern Territory Racing Commission”
Hopefully the settlement was at least $720,000.
The ABC has stayed Crown Melbourne delivers 11,600 jobs to the community.
Another oft quoted source of employment (ABS) suggested there were 62,000 jobs in coal mining at the end of 2020. Or about the same number of job opportunities as 5 new Casinos.
Keeping the options open for a low coal Casino led transition?
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The coal may be less harmful.
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“9 out of 10 politicians will agree, it’s easier to leave coal in the ground than shutdown a Casino.”
P.S. Only one can be rehabilitated.
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Another day, another grubby episode of The Crown.
