The majority of people who gamble regularly make a loss - because the odds always favour the offering syndicate. It doesn't matter if it is horse racing or casinos - or poker machines, and yet an enormous number of people bet regularly in the hope of a lucky break making them rich
The state is the arbiter which sets the rules that apply and dictates who, when and where gambling is permitted. In Australia those short of their eighteenth birthday are not permitted to buy or drink alcohol or to place a bet. A degree of advertising is permitted but advertising must remain within certain rules and one of these demands that such advertisements urge people to " gamble responsibly ".
For many years, New South Wales only permitted people to place a bet with a bookmaker if they attended a horse race in person. This led to the emergence of illegal SP bookmakers offering their services in suburban pubs. The state was missing out on betting taxes and eventually caved in and permitted a legal TAB.
The scope of betting permitted has widened. We now have international bookmakers touting for business and competing with the TAB outlets to be found in most pubs and clubs. A more recent innovation has been phone betting. The advent of the Smartphone allows those who have established a betting account to place bets on the result of football or games of cricket as well as horse and dog racing and this has removed the safeguard of those under eighteen being challenged when they try to place a bet in a gambling facility.
Some politicians have tried to impose limitations on this gambling epidemic but the industry has deep pockets and maintains a powerful public relations lobby. Betting advertisements on television are restricted during hours deemed " children's viewing times " and the TAB has recently been hauled into court and fined for an indiscretion that many find laughable.
The promotion of a premier event on the racing calendar was launched with the giveaway of free packets of jelly beans and mints at Town Hall and Martin Place railway stations in the CBD. Each of these tiny packets was inscribed with the slogan " Nothing's as sweet as a win ".
The problem was that they lacked the printed message urging people to " gamble responsibly " and thus broke the gambling advertising law. The TAB has pleaded guilty to this oversight and agreed to pay Liquor and Gaming's court costs $ 10,000. The court has yet to decide what fine will apply to this rules breach but it may run to five thousand dollars for each packet of sweets given away - and that number has not been determined. It was also noted that the inducement was given to the broad sweep of people passing through those stations and no attempt was made to restrict them from those under eighteen.
Many thinking people will wonder what effect they believe seeing that slogan of " gamble responsibly " will have on those that indulge in that " mug's game " !
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