What is your opinion on poker machines?

Yorick · 03-25-2001, 02:57 AM

Well? Open slather. Are they a source of escapist enjoyment or do they prey on the hopes and dreams of the masses? Have they killed live music in your home city, or have they encouraged Nightlife and culture? If given the choice would you rather own one or smash one? (JJ would do both I take it)

------------------
Where were Hamlet and Horatio when I needed them?!

A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

Accord · 03-25-2001, 03:14 AM

Personally, I have nothing against game machines as long as the user exercise self control and the have proper restrictions on its numbers/usages. People have the right to choose whatever entertainment they can/should have, as long as it is within legal boundaries. They will trigger some degree of economic growth within the local community, provided tourists are attracted to such a place from out of town regions. But at the same time, you are likely going to have to put up with increase in underground activities in the town. This is really a cost and benefit trade-off which is difficult to quantify.
If I see one, I'll just leave it alone. Once you start playing, you've loss already.

------------------
Long live H22A1!!!!!

Epona · 03-25-2001, 06:03 AM

Well, I don't mind people gambling as such, but remember that gambling only exists because someone somewhere is making a huge profit out of it. So it is big business & it seems to me that poker machines strip money from people who are filled with hope of something better. You never come out a winner.

I also know someone who became addicted to gambling and attempted suicide after months of lying to his family & friends, stealing and losing everything on the horses (several years on he has managed to kick gambling, goes to GA regularly and has a happy life because his family stuck with him through the hard times - although there was no trust for a while, they have come out of it having gained some strength)

I also have another friend, who whenever we go into a bar spends an hour or more playing the fruit machines. This is really irritating and can ruin a night out. It's not a very social activity.

I'm not saying that the presence of gambling causes gambling addictions, but I do feel it preys on the desperate, making money out of other people's misery.

------------------

Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

Epona of The Laughing Hyenas.

Bahamut · 03-25-2001, 06:09 AM

like you said yorick... BOTH.

------------------

I...AM...BAHAMUT...AND IT IS YOU PEOPLE...I FEAR

Charlie · 03-25-2001, 06:13 AM

One arm bandits should be outlawed, an ex of mine was so addicted that she used to think about them all the time, even in her sleep. I used to wake up every morning with a sore dick and a mouth full of silver..............terrible experience.

------------------
One love, peace.

Epona · 03-25-2001, 06:16 AM

CHARLIE!!!!!

LOL

------------------

Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

Epona of The Laughing Hyenas.

Charlie · 03-25-2001, 06:49 AM

Oops, just my little joke.

A few of my mates are pretty big gamblers btw. Football, horses and the dogs mainly but usually after a beer they'll bet on anything. Gambling can become equally as dangerous as drugs and drink in many respects. I can tell you about a few failed marriages and a few fights through it, I can also tell you a few hilarious stories attatched to it. There's one guy in my pic' in Stealthy's site that done the holiday fund for around twenty blokes, stole money from his mother to recuperate his loss, lost and robbed his sister. He actually won all his losses back with a little more on top in the end and promptly confessed all to every one involved. Not nice but he was badly hooked up at that time, he was forgiven obviously and ultimately straightened himself out. Also there's another friend of mine that's a bookmaker at the races. He was in the pub with us one day pulling his hair out with worry about what he was going to say to his wife. She'd saved £7000 (about U.S $10000) for a kitchen that she'd set her heart on and he'd watched that kitchen hobble out of the 3.30 at Kempton Park racetrack about 10 lengths behind the rest of the field. That ended in divorce (although not over this incident, there were accasions where he'd return home with £15 or £20 grand in his pocket) so it's horses for courses (no pun) in some respects. Personally I never gamble bar a game of cards on the rarest of occasions.

Gambling........ it's a mugs game. U wanna bet.

------------------
One love, peace.

Moiraine · 03-25-2001, 07:56 AM

Yorick, you don't play this thread fair ! You didn't tell your own opinions !

Some people can get really addictive of gambling.In France, casinos have a list of people who are forbidden to enter. One can even ask to be put on that list, so that he/she knows that even if he/she can't resist, he will be forced to do so.

In the town where I live, we have a casino, and it provides a fair income of money to the city, so I guess it wouldn't be truly honest of me to yell too much against gambling ...

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[This message has been edited by Moiraine (edited 03-25-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Moiraine (edited 03-25-2001).]

Yorick · 03-25-2001, 08:12 AM

Yeah, but I know my opinion. I wanted to know everyone elses... and if they had one or not.

------------------
Where were Hamlet and Horatio when I needed them?!

A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

bilqis · 03-25-2001, 08:17 AM

My town is surrounded by three Indian Reservations, so there are 3 casinos within 40 miles of my home. I've been to each one once...only tried a nickle machine one evening on a $5 bill I'd found while out walking. I do not see the thrill. Waste of time & money in my opinion.

Having said that, I agree with Accord when he said: "People have the right to choose whatever entertainment they can/should have, as long as it is within legal boundaries. They will trigger some degree of economic growth within the local community, provided tourists are attracted to such a place from out of town regions."

There is very high poverty on the reservations, and almost no economic opportunity. The casinos are providing some cash flow & jobs on each of them. Addiction is a problem tho, and it hurts my heart to see all these old, often impoverished elders sitting at the machines spending all of what little cash they have.

Gambling is a mixed blessing.

------------------

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.
(Skald, dragon trainer, & member of The Laughing Hyenas)

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03-25-2001, 02:57 AM	#1
Yorick Very Mad Bird Join Date: January 7, 2001 Location: Breukelen (over the river from New Amsterdam) Age: 53 Posts: 9,246	Well? Open slather. Are they a source of escapist enjoyment or do they prey on the hopes and dreams of the masses? Have they killed live music in your home city, or have they encouraged Nightlife and culture? If given the choice would you rather own one or smash one? (JJ would do both I take it) ------------------ Where were Hamlet and Horatio when I needed them?! A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

03-25-2001, 03:14 AM	#2
Accord Ninja Storm Shadow Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 3,537	Personally, I have nothing against game machines as long as the user exercise self control and the have proper restrictions on its numbers/usages. People have the right to choose whatever entertainment they can/should have, as long as it is within legal boundaries. They will trigger some degree of economic growth within the local community, provided tourists are attracted to such a place from out of town regions. But at the same time, you are likely going to have to put up with increase in underground activities in the town. This is really a cost and benefit trade-off which is difficult to quantify. If I see one, I'll just leave it alone. Once you start playing, you've loss already. ------------------ Long live H22A1!!!!!

03-25-2001, 06:03 AM	#3
Epona Zartan Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: London, England Age: 54 Posts: 5,164	Well, I don't mind people gambling as such, but remember that gambling only exists because someone somewhere is making a huge profit out of it. So it is big business & it seems to me that poker machines strip money from people who are filled with hope of something better. You never come out a winner. I also know someone who became addicted to gambling and attempted suicide after months of lying to his family & friends, stealing and losing everything on the horses (several years on he has managed to kick gambling, goes to GA regularly and has a happy life because his family stuck with him through the hard times - although there was no trust for a while, they have come out of it having gained some strength) I also have another friend, who whenever we go into a bar spends an hour or more playing the fruit machines. This is really irritating and can ruin a night out. It's not a very social activity. I'm not saying that the presence of gambling causes gambling addictions, but I do feel it preys on the desperate, making money out of other people's misery. ------------------ Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so. Epona of The Laughing Hyenas.

03-25-2001, 06:09 AM	#4
Bahamut Iron Throne Cult Join Date: March 12, 2001 Location: Manila, Philippines Age: 40 Posts: 4,864	like you said yorick... BOTH. ------------------ I...AM...BAHAMUT...AND IT IS YOU PEOPLE...I FEAR

03-25-2001, 06:13 AM	#5
Charlie Lord Ao Join Date: March 3, 2001 Location: London, England Age: 31 Posts: 2,023	One arm bandits should be outlawed, an ex of mine was so addicted that she used to think about them all the time, even in her sleep. I used to wake up every morning with a sore dick and a mouth full of silver..............terrible experience. ------------------ One love, peace.

03-25-2001, 06:16 AM	#6
Epona Zartan Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: London, England Age: 54 Posts: 5,164	CHARLIE!!!!! LOL ------------------ Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so. Epona of The Laughing Hyenas.

03-25-2001, 06:49 AM	#7
Charlie Lord Ao Join Date: March 3, 2001 Location: London, England Age: 31 Posts: 2,023	Oops, just my little joke. A few of my mates are pretty big gamblers btw. Football, horses and the dogs mainly but usually after a beer they'll bet on anything. Gambling can become equally as dangerous as drugs and drink in many respects. I can tell you about a few failed marriages and a few fights through it, I can also tell you a few hilarious stories attatched to it. There's one guy in my pic' in Stealthy's site that done the holiday fund for around twenty blokes, stole money from his mother to recuperate his loss, lost and robbed his sister. He actually won all his losses back with a little more on top in the end and promptly confessed all to every one involved. Not nice but he was badly hooked up at that time, he was forgiven obviously and ultimately straightened himself out. Also there's another friend of mine that's a bookmaker at the races. He was in the pub with us one day pulling his hair out with worry about what he was going to say to his wife. She'd saved £7000 (about U.S $10000) for a kitchen that she'd set her heart on and he'd watched that kitchen hobble out of the 3.30 at Kempton Park racetrack about 10 lengths behind the rest of the field. That ended in divorce (although not over this incident, there were accasions where he'd return home with £15 or £20 grand in his pocket) so it's horses for courses (no pun) in some respects. Personally I never gamble bar a game of cards on the rarest of occasions. Gambling........ it's a mugs game. U wanna bet. ------------------ One love, peace.

03-25-2001, 07:56 AM	#8
Moiraine Anubis Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Up in the Freedomland Alps Age: 60 Posts: 2,474	Yorick, you don't play this thread fair ! You didn't tell your own opinions ! Some people can get really addictive of gambling.In France, casinos have a list of people who are forbidden to enter. One can even ask to be put on that list, so that he/she knows that even if he/she can't resist, he will be forced to do so. In the town where I live, we have a casino, and it provides a fair income of money to the city, so I guess it wouldn't be truly honest of me to yell too much against gambling ... ------------------ [This message has been edited by Moiraine (edited 03-25-2001).] [This message has been edited by Moiraine (edited 03-25-2001).]

03-25-2001, 08:12 AM	#9
Yorick Very Mad Bird Join Date: January 7, 2001 Location: Breukelen (over the river from New Amsterdam) Age: 53 Posts: 9,246	Yeah, but I know my opinion. I wanted to know everyone elses... and if they had one or not. ------------------ Where were Hamlet and Horatio when I needed them?! A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

03-25-2001, 08:17 AM	#10
bilqis Symbol of Cyric Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: WA, USA Age: 68 Posts: 1,328	My town is surrounded by three Indian Reservations, so there are 3 casinos within 40 miles of my home. I've been to each one once...only tried a nickle machine one evening on a $5 bill I'd found while out walking. I do not see the thrill. Waste of time & money in my opinion. Having said that, I agree with Accord when he said: "People have the right to choose whatever entertainment they can/should have, as long as it is within legal boundaries. They will trigger some degree of economic growth within the local community, provided tourists are attracted to such a place from out of town regions." There is very high poverty on the reservations, and almost no economic opportunity. The casinos are providing some cash flow & jobs on each of them. Addiction is a problem tho, and it hurts my heart to see all these old, often impoverished elders sitting at the machines spending all of what little cash they have. Gambling is a mixed blessing. ------------------ Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup. (Skald, dragon trainer, & member of The Laughing Hyenas)

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