It’s fair to say gambling, in whichever form, is not the flavour of any month in Australia. If they’re not telling us that land-based pokie machines are contributing to gambling addiction, then it’s the government grouping the industry with that pop-star of the utmost integrity, Gary Glitter. The state administrations are railing against the government in the latest to come out of the kangaroo nation though.
Earlier this year venues offering pokie machines were told that ATMs would have to be removed from the premises. Obviously angered by the decision they looked for a solution. Putting an ATM machine just outside the door clearly wasn’t viable, but help is at hand from the “ecash pospoint.”
Gaming Minister Tony Robinson has already given the all clear to a machine that will sidestep the 2012 ATM ban. Robinson approved it as the machine offers EFTPOS facilities and isn’t actually distributing money.
The main opposition to this decision, of which there is a lot, comes from anti-pokies campaigner, and independent MP, Nick Xenophon.
In an interview with the Australia newspaper The National, Xenophon said allowing the new machines ”takes us back to square one” and made the ATM ban ”window dressing”.
Who’d have thought the depths of the gambling industry could come up with such a clever manipulation of the rules – quite preposterous if you ask me. They either got someone else to help or maybe the gaming industry is quite the clever group of people. As for our friend Nick – does his surname not remind you of a percussion instrument or even someone fearing the influx of foreigners?
