Never thought I would see the day.

StevieJ

Generali wrote: »

I'm with you on this one. I speak as a long time gambler who has no problem getting up and walking away (for example I use my Betfair account pretty much every week for all of my sports/political betting and have not put any money into it since before the Ashes.........in 2005!)
I know a lot of problem gamblers though. I lost a friendship because I wouldn't lend someone money to put into a fruit machine in a pub having watched him put what must have been the best part of a week's wages in there already.

I agree as well, the combination of addiction and access to funds (especially if they are not your funds) is a potential recipe for destruction.

lemonjelly

kennyboy66 wrote: »

Well it is at least possible to "win" in the long term buying shares. Whereas fruit machines, FOBT's, and roulette, by definition you will always lose.
Perhaps 1.5% of people can find an edge to win on horse or sports betting (according to betfair).

The gambling culture in Australia is astonishing (even for someone who like a bet).
TAB (Tote machines) in most pubs & "pokies" (slot machines) in RSL clubs.
Alcohol and gambling - not a good mix.

Pubs & Clubs, gambling and lap dancing. The only businesses that this government has helped grow over the last 10 years.[/QUOTE]

And banks (or are you including that in the "gambling" section?;):D)

kennyboy66_2

One amazing stat is that Australia (53rd largest population in the world) has the most gambling machines in the world.

Each Aussie spends on average $1000 per year on betting / lotteries / pokies etc.

lemonjelly

StevieJ wrote: »

I agree as well, the combination of addiction and access to funds is a potential recipe for destruction.

This is the concern we had, added to the ease of access. It would be so easy for an unmonitored person to build arrears of thousands in minutes with the advent of online gambling.

A concern we speculated on is the possibility for some to see it as a way to get them out of current money worries. Nothing new we know, but with how accessable it is, may cause more people to consider it as an option.

The above para is why I agree with Kenny's original statement.

StevieJ

kennyboy66 wrote: »

Perhaps 1.5% of people can find an edge to win on horse or sports betting (according to betfair).

Yes I have a system that sees me OK in the long term, I don't actually gamble that much, I did start early though, picking winners for my Granny when I was knee high to a grasshopper

StevieJ

lemonjelly wrote: »

This is the concern we had, added to the ease of access. It would be so easy for an unmonitored person to build arrears of thousands in minutes with the advent of online gambling.

A concern we speculated on is the possibility for some to see it as a way to get them out of current money worries. Nothing new we know, but with how accessable it is, may cause more people to consider it as an option.

The above para is why I agree with Kenny's original statement.

Are online gambling losses legally enforceable? I don't think they were in the past but may be now.

MyLastFiver

StevieJ wrote: »

Are online gambling losses legally enforceable? I don't think they were in the past but may be now.

I can't see how they wouldn't be, although feel free to prove me wrong. As far as I know, spending on a credit card is spending on a credit card, regardless of beneficiary, and therefore enforceable. Otherwise I doubt very much whether card issuers would permit transactions in favour of online gambling sites.

Gambling wise, when I get a free afternoon I will transfer £30 into my William Hill account and make small bets on the horses and in-play sports. I don't stop until I have made a small profit, usually £5 or £10, then I stop and cash in. Touch wood I never seem to just lose the lot, although I accept that the odds are that one day this will happen.

StevieJ

MyLastFiver wrote: »

I can't see how they wouldn't be, although feel free to prove me wrong. As far as I know, spending on a credit card is spending on a credit card, regardless of beneficiary, and therefore enforceable. Otherwise I doubt very much whether card issuers would permit transactions in favour of online gambling sites.

OK, so they don't give you a credit limit, never tried it so didn't know.

kennyboy66_2

StevieJ wrote: »

Are online gambling losses legally enforceable? I don't think they were in the past but may be now.

Traditionally it was only true credit betting debts that were un-enforceable.
Eg Mr William Hill gave you credit, you bet, then settled you account at the end of the month.

Online gambling transactions are effectively cash withdrawls on a credit or debit card, which you then bet.

Regardless, gambling debts are now enforcable after the 2005 Gambling Act.

Generali

kennyboy66 wrote: »

One amazing stat is that Australia (53rd largest population in the world) has the most gambling machines in the world.

Each Aussie spends on average $1000 per year on betting / lotteries / pokies etc.

It is amazing.

NSW for example gets a significant proportion of its tax from gambling taxes (mostly the pokies - a thing much like a fruit machine). IIRC, the last auction of pokie machine licenses ended up with the average cost for a pokie license being upwards of £100,000! The average Sydney club probably has 30 poker machines. The average Leagues club or RSL (both sorts of social/working mens clubs, the latter for Retired Service Men) more like 100.

To bring the conversation back to your OP, takings from pokies are seriously down as Aussie households look to pay down debt and also as a result of the smoking ban (although what constitutes 'outdoors' is pretty losely defined over here).