Blowing up the Pokies in Australia - Finally!

No it's not big brother! A proposed scheme in Australia would allow gamblers to determine their own gambling limit - via a smart card 0 before they sit down at a machine. Spearheaded by Andrew Wilkie, the legislation is being bitterly fought by the Clubs who stand to lose millions of money they;ve previously allowed to bleed away from their most vulnerable patrons.


FOOTBALL commentators who criticised proposed poker machine reforms on air were trying to mislead and alarm viewers, independent politicians say in a formal complaint to Channel 9.

Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie and South Australian senator Nick Xenophon sent the three-page letter of complaint to Nine boss David Gyngell via email and regular mail today.

The pair is angry about Ray Warren and Phil Gould's comments during an NRL semi-final criticising the Federal Government's plan for mandatory pre-commitment systems for poker machines.

Mr Wilkie and Senator Xenophon said the comments appeared to be a scripted political advertisement in breach of the Commercial Television Code.

"We are disappointed that Mr Warren and Mr Gould did not accurately represent the proposed poker machine reforms and did not acknowledge the seriousness of problem gambling and that these reforms will significantly help problem gamblers," the letter reads.




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"We believe they were attempting to mislead (and alarm) viewers on the nature of the government's proposal."

The commentators also did not disclose any personal or financial links they may have with the clubs, the letter says.

"Given Mr Warren and Mr Gould are employed by the Nine Network as sports commentators, can you advise whether the network approved this segment for broadcast?"

The pair told Mr Gyngell they would take their complaint to the Australian Communications and Media Authority if they are not satisfied with his response.

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[Jdh089]

Why can't people just be responsible for their own actions? Ohh poor me I'm addicted to the pokies... what a joke. People are too quick to find excuses for their own failings and weak to not approach their problems head on, rather blaming anyone and anything as a soft get out option. Infuriating.

[2WAYFM]

@Jdh089 Isn't it the ultimate act of responsibility to programme yourself a gambling limit before you sit down at the machine? And don't forget Jdh089 that addiction is a sickness. Society should not turn their back on the sick and should certainly never smugly describe the sick as "weak".

[Thisisfifty]

I love the comment about 'if we are a community, we should be building this stuff ourselves'

Jobs are lost all the time, and people find new jobs!

Lives are lost forever!

[Jigha11]

@JasperMcLaren you are an incredibly ignorant person if you truly believe that. addiction is a disease. these people need to be helped, not shunned and discarded

[hilllbilllyjoe]

@sorny1 rofl XD, they are focusing on this over brothels, because brothels don't produce billions in debt a year, and major drug epidemics? that is like curing cancer, not going to happen, and Wilkie cares about people in general, not just the people in his own state.

[hilllbilllyjoe]

@Jdh089 most addicts are unaware of their addictive tenancies making it impossible to overcome by themselves. If everyone in our society looked at things the way you do, civilisation wouldn't work at all.

[anshulkamboj]

what about those drug dealers who try to make black money to white

[JasperMcLaren]

oh yeah, I have an "addictive personality". Great excuse for being a selfish fuckup

[JasperMcLaren]

what was that pokie at the start? awesome feature, I dont think we have it in qld. Im gonna go to the pub for a beer and a poke

[sorny1]

is there not a biiger issue in the country at the moment like cant the govermant worry about brothel issues or major drug epidemics??? is gambling the only problem? wilkie is from tazmania so who cares anyway he should worry about it in his own state

[Christizm]

@Dan2529 I know how you feel exactly mate I do the same thing I sometimes get a big win but then I go back and try to win it and because im so stupid I know exactly how you feel then theres that feeling of guilt and anger knowing what you could have done with the money bought some expensive things and banked some money whenever I get a win I almost certainly or almost go back again to try and win more because my loses from the past are always in my head or in my mind. Pokies sux but I Cant stop

[Dan2529]

@Christizm yerp... the other week i won 3 grand starting with 50 bucks.. next day spent about 400 of that on shit i needed.. then spent 1300 the next night out drinking an gambling.. an spent the rest doing the same the next night.. 2 days and it was all gone an i was literally exhausted because for 3 days i was up all night long till 6 am starting at around 8pm gambling an drinking.. and when all the cash was gone i was like wtf i felt over it ready to stop.. for about 6 days

[Christizm]

@Dan2529 well said mate people will never understand it and how tempting it is to try and win back the loses especially when you feel the feature is coming soon and you dont want to leave because someone else gets it thats what these machines do they tease the mind I know that feeling of wanting money I like having it on me thats why its even more tempting to play and Clubs are open all the time I was surprised one day on my way to work at 8:30 am that club was still open this will never work