22 October 2006

Pokies revenue back up despite notes limit

| johnboy
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The Canberra Times reports that poker machine revenue is back up over the levels it was at when $50 and $100 notes were banned in Novenber 2004.

The Chief Minister is unperturbed, thinking that “natural growth” can account for the boom. But then he is firmly attached to the teats of the gaming industry, only alternating between the nipple of gambling taxation revenue, and the nipple of party funding from the Labor aligned clubs.

On the other hand note limiters aren’t going to do much, I can well remember the terrifying speed with which a hardened gambler could cram 20c pieces into a poker machine back in the early 90’s, let alone a $2 coin.

Calls for the machines to be limited in the amount of money they can take from the punter in each hour ($200 is suggested) could work though.

That seems unlikely given the ALP and Liberal (via Bill Stefaniak’s ties to the Southern Cross Club) closeness with the clubs which profit from the gambling addicts.

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If the clubs wanted to give me that kind of money for advertising I’d be happy to take it.

So long as the advertising department doesn’t get in the ear of the editorial side I don’t see a problem.

Al, please stop referring to the Canberra Times as though it were a newspaper.

“And if ciggies/drugs/alcohol/cars that can speed weren’t there… “

I don’t have time for pokies, I’m too busy enjoying my V8…

I was bemused to see that further into the same edition of the Canberra Times they had a multi-page advertorial spread from the self-same gaming establishments…
And nobody at the Times thought that might appear just a tad too hypocritical???

Absent Diane11:27 am 23 Oct 06

any vices really

And if ciggies/drugs/alcohol/cars that can speed weren’t there…

sure its personal choice.

but if they werent there, people would lead productive lives without constant temptation.

While all pokies should be banned, burned and banished – in the meantime to wean the clubs (and pollies) off them you could change the payout ratio. Currently the legislation requires that each machine return at least 87 cents for each dollar put in. Thus if you put $100 in, after a while you will end up with $87, then $75, then $65, then $57 and so on until you have nothing. This applies over the long run – over the short run things will go up and down. A smart player is one who gets a win early and takes the money. However, most pokie players are not smart.
Anyways if you chnage the payout ratio, you change the rate at which people lose their money and the rate at which the club gets revenue. So start with boosting the return to 90 cents in the dollar, then after six months boost it to 93 cents, then 96. At about 92, 93 cents in the dollar, pokies are going to be a marginal thing for a club to have.

Heh heh. Isn’t it a “personal choice” though, bonfire?

blow the fucking things up.

evil evil evil

its akin to setting a 44 gallon drum of heroin in front of a junkie and telling them to be responsible.

Absent Diane9:05 am 23 Oct 06

Ban the fuckers.

Some people just wanna gamble away what they have.

They will find some other way if there are no pokies.

Ban em anyway.

*[day] = say

Ban ’em ban ’em ban ’em. Evil change stealers that they are; perverse forms of tax collectors from the lowest socioeconomic groups, a true evil of our times I day. EVIIILLLLL!!! ban ban ban….

In the words of Tim Freedman,
‘And I wish I could shine you the right words, to blow up the pokies and drag them away,
because they’re taking the food off your table….’

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