Well my brother in law who was an alcoholic to mask his depression committed suicide 2 months ago. So my views on alcohol aren’t particularly glowing at the moment.
I drink occasionally. But there are people who struggle with alcoholism. Some people struggle to control their impulses, to their own misfortune.
I’m in the minority here that thinks this is a good business decision.
The pokies are going to be there regardless. I’m happy that the money goes to our club.
I’d be all for reducing the total number of poker machines but this isn’t the case here.
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That’s true. But given pokies are one of the most addictive, engineered for you to lose and hurt you, destructive forms of gambling that target those in society that can least afford it a better question would be “What’s your stance on Crystal meth?”.
Yes i think it’s far worse than the pokies, and i love drinking. And now i’m actually sorry for bringing it up mate. My point was that people seem to be fine with the club being involved with some of these things but not others.
That’s not a correct comparison at all. Every stat available shows that alcohol is a far far worse problem in Australia than gambling. Please keep this conversation logical.
They’re an excellent way to ease salary cap pressure.
*Phone rings…
“Hello, this is Fev.”
Muffled voice: “Brendan. Listen very carefully, I will say this only once… It’s time to play Machine number 104. Do not delay.”
*Click
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I struggle to reconcile seeing these two sentences in the same post.
I agree that we could be here all day so best to move on 
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Sure but I’d suggest that that is because alcohol is far more widely available and we have a culture that celebrates drinking so of course it’s going to be a larger societal problem. I’m sure most people haven’t even tried meth and many wouldn’t have played pokies either.
I was talking in terms of actual addictiveness. Pokies are engineered to bypass peoples rational thought processes and leverage psychology to keep people playing, with the bright lights and noises reinforcing winnings even if players are actually down, algorithms that make people think they can win but just lose more and more over time.
Also while alcohol hasn’t really changed that much since humans discovered it (no one is spending a fortune looking for ways to make it more addictive), like designer drugs pokies are continually undergoing revisions to try and make them more effective at their purpose, to make money from people. In fact some people become so focused on the flow, rhythm and repetition of playing that winning actually “interrupts” their “gaming” experience. Not to mention gambler superstition and the idea that some people think they can work the game out (people aren’t really as rational as some think in terms of understanding they will lose long term and that the odds are manipulated against them).
Anyway I don’t care that much if Essendon have pokies (although it would be better if we didn’t) and I wasn’t trying to get into a massive debate about, I simply wanted to point out I don’t think equating alcohol to pokies is sound. In my opinion alcohol is more analogous to something like poker, you can get addicted but I think in the beginning you understand the rules of the “game” and it is more of a slow descent. Pokies are created with the express intent to draw people in and hook them as quickly and reliably as possible, with the places that house them designed to warp reality so to speak so you forget about time and other concerns, and so in my eyes are far more insidious (which isn’t to downplay alcohol addiction which is a huge problem in Australia, just that I think the path to addition is different for them).
Edit: lol wasn’t trying to get into a massive debate I said and then I went all JBOMBER with the post.
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I don’t mind it. I feel like I’m finally getting something back for the money I’ve “invested”.
People think they’re in this thread to debate a pokie licence extension but soon realise their entire world view is being forensically studied and tested.
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And; the worse things get in the world the more addictions take hold. If next year, 2019 is a bad year fiscally, people will gamble more.
Human being are a complex species, we all take our risks in different ways.
…perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinise the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water?
…then multiplied those drops by all the Wells of the World?
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…and slowly, and surely, they drew their plans against us.
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the club should keep the pokies - it is the fugazzi socialist facade is what has to go.
This is where we were two years ago:
“As a Club we acknowledge we still generate a percentage of our revenue from poker machines, but as a Board and Executive we are currently challenging our traditional business model and looking at ways to evolve our revenue streams in a socially responsible way.”
My opinion on this hasn’t changed since July.
I would like to know what the club’s policy on poker machine revenue is, going forward.
I don’t think that’s too much to ask.
Perhaps it’s still coming in good time?
Good luck getting anything resembling a straight answer. I’ve been asking this for years.
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I had a meeting in the city today, parked at Crown, and had Wild Turkey and played the pokies before I came home.
I was so shocked that I didn’t win, and I am not sure how to tell Mrs Fox that I lost money being entertained for an hour while drinking bourbon.
I get amused by the self-righteous who want to take away my pleasures.
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Juuuuuuuust wanna know where the club stands.
In comparison to the statement they made in 2016.
I mean, personally I’m against them, and I find the pretending that they don’t ruin lives is…wilfully dishonest, and the idea that not wanting to be involved in that is somehow prudish is…kind of offensive.
But that’s neither here nor there.
The club made a statement in 2016 that we were going to source more ethical revenue streams than pokies, and I’d like to know if that’s still the case.
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