GAMBLEMANIA

GAMBLEMANIA

by

John Roberts (1998)

I was brought-up in an environment in which gambling, in any form, was regarded as a Godless and sinful activity. Children in many British working-class families were familiar with the sight of Littlewood's Football-Pool coupons, from an early age. This was not the case with my family. My father was not a gambling man. It was probably this parental example that encouraged me to avoid all forms of gambling in my youth. In any event, I never revealed a propensity for this form of indulgence. Once, I must confess, as a young lad of 18 years, I was tempted to place a bet of two-shillings on the Derby: no doubt induced to do so by the excitement generated in an Army Barracks, by the advent of that great sporting occasion. The horse I had backed failed to win a place: hence my disillusionment with this form of gambling.

I have managed to get through almost the allotted span of seventy years, without at any time becoming a victim of the disease of gamblemania. But I will also admit, at the risk of losing all credibility in this argument, that I occasionally purchase raffle-tickets in support of charitable causes and, in the past, have purchased Art-Union tickets. Hence, in spite of these admissions, it will be apparent to the impartial observer, that I am not a gambler. This important point being established, I feel that I am now in a position to comment on the pressing problem of gambling, as a disease, having grave consequences for all sections of the Australian community. (and by implication all other communities.)

When my wife and I arrived on these shores, forty-odd years ago, it was at once apparent that gambling, in various forms, was well established here. The types of gambling, then in vogue could be tabulated as: gambling upon:

1. Horse-racing: Racecourse betting.

2. Dog-Racing.

3. Two-up games (illegal, except on Australia day, when the law prohibiting this type of gambling was temporally suspended).

4. Tattersalls : A scheme then current in Victoria: which, I presume, was an approved form of SP betting.

5. Starting Price betting : A widespread and illegal activity in New South Wales, until it became a Government-run concern in the Seventies.

6. Club type - casino gambling - (Illegal and conducted usually in private clubs: sometimes protected by corrupt police, who were paid regular monthly sums by the proprietors). It has been suggested to me that the Liberal Askin Government(of the 60's) was supported, inter-alia, by corrupt donations made by the proprietors of such establishments.

7. State-Government run lotteries based on a "lucky-ticket number" system.

8. "Bingo", also known as "Tombola" or "Housie-Housie", has been popular with ladies since time immemorial. Such a harmless minor gambling activity: merely a game: very useful for certain church organizations, as a fund-raising medium.

9. Also in the early 60's: Poker machines (Fruit machines) were introduced into social clubs and sporting clubs in New South Wales and some other states.

10. Art Unions have a regular clientele and Raffling is a popular fund-raising device.

11. There were numerous other forms of gambling on card games, sporting activities, cock-fighting etc., mostly of an illegal nature.

Hence, it will be apparent that even in those days, there was ample scope for those with money to burn, to be able to easily dispose of their excess wealth. It was a common saying that Australians, generally, would gamble on “two flies crawling up a wall”. During the last forty years, the availability of gambling devices has escalated, with the advent of various forms of gambling, hitherto unknown. These are, inter alia:

12. Scratch lottery tickets: sundry types, available from Newsagents.

13. Several "Lotto" schemes, in which, e.g, six numbers are selected from approximately forty numbers on a card: looks easy but the odds are millions to one. This is, perhaps, a logical development of the "Numbers Game", a gambling racket formerly operated by criminal gangs in the USA.

14. The recent extension of Poker-machine facilities to Hotels as well as Clubs.

15. There is now extensive legal gambling on sporting events.

16. Throughout Australia, legalized Casino's have been established, with all the familiar devices to ensnare the unwary: Roulette: black-jack, Poker, etc..

I am not aware of the full extent of State Revenue derived from taxation of gambling enterprises, but it is generally regarded as an enormous sum. It becomes increasingly evident that this form of indirect taxation is very popular with politicians. It has, undoubtedly, led to the extensive licensing of such forms of money gathering.

That these activities are immoral and destructive to Society, does not form part of the equation, so far as our politicians are concerned. The fact that there are thousands of parasites, prepared to devour the resources of their fellows: vultures who prey upon the weakness and avarice of others, to the detriment of family-life, is of no consequence. It is a great revenue-raising instrument, as it involves the voluntary surrender of funds, in the hope of gaining something for nothing. Governments are merely tapping the flow of human avarice and folly. Hence, we find that the "entrepreneurs" who undertake these activities and build the casinos and gambling dens, are welcomed with open arms by those who have been elected to protect the interests of the people. Henceforth, they are regarded, no longer as outcasts, criminals and social pariahs but as respectable businessmen. Casino shares are available on the Share Market and form part and parcel of the businessman's stock-in-trade. Thus, we observe, from day to day, a sustained increase in the availability of enticements to induce people to part with their money in this way.

The writer, many years ago, when working in the welfare field, had occasion to witness the desolation of many homes, when the male breadwinner failed to bring home his wages on pay-day: having expended the whole of his funds during an evening of boozing and gambling on the poker machines in his local club. This was a tale oft repeated. The problem was by no means confined to the lure of Poker machines. Even now, and, particularly, within the ranks of the Chinese fraternity, we hear of the disastrous economic effects of a night spent at one of our numerous casino's. One does not have to possess the sensitivity of a Mother-Teresa, to comprehend the utter desolation which a woman must feel, who has a number of small children to care for, when there is nothing to provide for the days ahead and bills and rent to be paid. Nor does this take into account the threat to the family's security, when the breadwinner is threatened with personal violence, on his failure to pay gambling debts incurred. There are those who advocate a counselling facility to advise gambling addicts regarding their problems. How wonderful!: when a man has committed himself to repay thousands of dollars which he has no hope of obtaining from any source. Suicide must often seem to be the only way out of the difficulty thus encountered. How happy would be this poor soul, if he had not been able to gamble his resources away in the first place? How he would wish that this had been the case! Would he really be any the wiser for this belated consciousness of his own folly? It is hardly likely: the probability being that, if some Good Samaritan came along to help him out of his immediate difficulty, the next available opportunity would find him back again at the black-jack table.

What then, is the solution to the problem of gambling in our Community. Were Governments to close down the Casino's, there would be great loss of revenue: perhaps, they would themselves be liable for breach of some contractual liability towards those who build and operate these gambling dens. Then, of course, there is the overall fact that the extent of gambling of all forms in this Society is almost beyond restraint. Just where would one commence to attack the problem? The answer lies, once more, in the recognition that this is a moral question for the individual to settle for himself (or herself). I formed the opinion, many years ago, that gambling is theft: purely and simply. When one person uses his skills and guile in order to deprive another of his property: that is theft. There can be no other explanation! The fact that the other party is also weak and greedy, cannot justify robbery, by the use of craft. Should this fact sink into a sufficient number of skulls, then the result must be a collective recognition of the truth of the statement that gambling is an evil that we can all, very well, do without.

There is no get-rich-quick answer to life's problems. One has to work in order to progress in this world. The gambling mania can only be approached in this way: the education of the individual from childhood right up to old age. Any form of gambling that encourages the "something for nothing" syndrome, is an evil, however dressed-up in a charitable garb. Hence, children have to be shown by precept and example, that wise parents do not indulge in such activities. In this way, will the little ones grow up with a well-balanced view of life and its temptations.

Once again, the tremendous impact of gambling on the lives of everyone in modern Society is such, that change will only come about slowly and as a result of the re-education of the individual. The churches must play their part in this re-education: they have been quiescent too long in speaking-out against such a monstrous evil. It is not merely a question of being a "kill-joy": in wishing to spoil the enjoyment of ordinary folk. There are other, more satisfying ways of enjoying life, but quite apart from the fact that gambling, in itself, is a useless, unproductive activity, the removal of the evil will, necessarily, involve the curtailment of the pleasures of the masses. Without the accompanying thrill of the wager, many so-called "sporting" activities would lose their attraction.

One might postulate that the abolition of the more abhorrent forms of gambling would encourage criminal gambling activity. There would need to be real penalties in the form of lengthy periods of imprisonment for such crimes and the Police would be required to strictly enforce the law. Corruption would also need to be monitored closely. These considerations are merely collateral to the problem of gambling itself. Certainly, in the past, the Police have turned a blind eye to SP betting and other illegal gambling. It is for Society to determine to what extent it is to tolerate criminal activity in its midst.

There is no doubt, that less gambling would mean more money going into the retail industry and greater stimulus to business activity generally. We would have happier families and a more stable community. This in itself would compensate Governments for loss of gambling revenue. There would also be less demand for welfare services, as a result of improved living standards.

What then, is the alternative to the elimination of the more oppressive forms of gambling? The prospect is bleak: more and more revenue-raising facilities for the gambler. We now have the spectre of Internet gambling, raising its ravenous jowl to devour the weak-minded. How many children will be trapped by this latest device. The average person is exposed to an invitation to invest in speculation at every turn of the highway of life. It will end in the destruction of Social and Family life as we know it. The forces of evil will dominate, as they have endeavoured to do throughout the history of humankind.

If you have got this far in reading this essay: think about what has been said and, if you have children yourself or when you are a parent, consider your responsibility in this and other ways towards the little ones committed to your charge. It is a weighty responsibility, indeed, and one which you must approach with wisdom and discretion. The future happiness of the human race depends on the extent to which the parents, of today and tomorrow, mould and direct the minds of their children. Don't bring them up with the idea that it is easy to get something for nothing. There is no such thing as a "free ride", nor any real satisfaction in the prospect of stealing a march on one’s fellows. It is not in competition but in co-operation that humanity will progress, if at all. This demands that we all accept the good and the bad: whatever comes our way, with a good spirit and with the determination not to participate in any activity involving robbing our fellow men and women.

John Roberts 20th August l998.

mailto:robertsjno@gmail.com