The Travels of the
Techno-Freedom-Fighter

Gambling is one of those things that really get me fired up. My I attended a Salvation Army church that has a rehabilitation centre attached to it. Therefore a lot of my friends have been through the rehabilitation service. On top of the addiction issues that a lot of them face gambling is a catalyst for their slide into troubles.

The argument that the money that goes into poker machines is required for government revenue to provide services to the people is just ludicrous. As well as that licensed clubs provide support to the community through community grants. I would really like to see someone to a longitudinal study into the benefits and cost the Society of gambling.

Obviously there are a number of complex issues around the industry and because people make their livelihoods within the Gambling industry. It is not a simple knee-jerk reaction of banning all of the poker machines in the country that will solve the issue. This is just a extreme news grabbing opinion, because in the end it may cause as much social harm is the current situation.

And it does not have to be all that difficult a number of small changes at the venues would be helped to ensure that less harm is caused. Such as require venues to display clocks on the wall and ensure natural light is visible from poker machine areas during daylight hours. And remove ATM's and EFTPOS facilities from all buildings with a gambling license to avoid unplanned spending. As well as require venues to provide nongambling, socially interactive activities at poker machine venues.

In a government level it would be good to replace the current license system with one in which poker machines are owned by the state government with a fixed operator's fee paid to venues for running the machines. This particular model has worked quite effectively within Canada. All poker machines to be located in licensed clubs (not hotels).