Now that we are all winners...

[aussierules0k]

[plugger66]

Doesnt worry me in the slightest. I bet so I may as well bet with them if they have equal or better odds, if not I go elsewhere to lose my money.

[joffaboy]

Very good post.

I am not a gambler so these emails dont worry me. In fact they dont even get opened by me.

I look at the odds on a match as it progresses with curiosity, but nothing more.

I am bored by betting, never get a thrill from it and cant be bothered with it.

However, we live in a free country and I dont think this advertising should be banned. If you dont want an email from these companies, write to the STKFC and be unsubscribed.

I also think that anyone should be able to gamble. As far as I see it, it is a stupidity tax.

However in saying that, i do understand that some weakminded people are gambling addicts who, just like any other addiction, require help, but moreso they need to help themselves, just like David Swartz has.

cheers

[shmic_s]

I wondered along that train of thought when i first received it. Not a fan, but hopfully it can bring in extra income for the Saints.

Clubs make alot of money through pokies and other forms of gambling.
Prob not the best marketing, IMO, to have it so associated so closely with the St Kilda Saints. Would think opposition supporters wont be using Saintsbet. Clubbet/Footywager or something, IMO, would have been better marketing. Although Saintsbet uses the strong Saints brand.

[markp]

I find it really sad when they report someone has had a massive punt on a game ($100k territory) like it's an act of James Bond like bravado, when there is every possibility it's just the act a desperate and sick person.

I also watched the game at a local 'pokies' pub on Sunday, and had to walk through the gaming room... yikes, what a sad place.

[aussierules0k]

[Kate]

This is a problem that corncerns me as I have a nine year old boy who notices the sudden glut of gambling advertising.

I don't have a strong moral objection to gambling, but I do not think it is something that should be marketed to children. The current tactic of displaying changing odds during the game is designed to suck people in, and the kids are the first to go for it.

I am now regularly nagged to have a bet, by my son, who is not old enough to understand the concept of finacial responsibility.

Rightly, children are not allowed to enter gaming rooms until after the age of 18. This is to protect immature minds from the clever marketing tactics employed. (ie. Lots of flashing lights and ding, ding, ding noises that give the impression that lots of money is being given out).

There needs to be restrictions on betting advertising in order to shield our kiddies from this until they are an appropriate age.

[joffaboy]

Hi p66 and jb

How long till porn is advertised on the scoreboard?
Would it be okay for massage parlours to advertise on the scoreboard with scantily dressed women in provocative poses?

How about at half time we have 3 pole dancers and we get to vote on the best of them... the winner gets a root.

Of course the answer by any red blooded male is YES please!!!
But is it a good message for young kids?

Or how about adult bookshops get a run..... "Buy one, get one free - but only for the lucky Saints supporters cos we really care about you"

Where is the correlation between gambling and pornography?

It has to do with social norms. I dont like gambling and the fact that it is on the screen for impressionable you minds to think it is normal to gamble.

However like adult services, pole dancing, brothels, etc, you have to be over 18 to legally use them.

I tend to agree with you in a sense. I cant see why such a social destructor like gambling is not as obscene as brothels or pole dancing advertising.

Because we live in a country that has Christian inhabitions about sex, these things seem to be more distasteful than gambling.

Maybe if we lived in Japan, you would see the local brothel advertised alongside the local Sportsbet.

Culture is different, but nobody said that it isn't conflicting.

[SENsei]

I'm with AOK here.

I have been astounded by the amount of betting advertising that goes on these days. Hell, radio broadcasts even have live crosses to a betting bloke telling us what the punters think and the odds.

I'm also with JB in that I don't gamble but I guess freedom of speech comes into play.

I like the idea of the pole dancers....gives a whole new meaning to the Bluebirds of the 1980s....

[joffaboy]

One thing to consider though, is that gambling and pole dancing and adult services are legal.

If you are over 18 you have the right to use these services. We live in a free country and gambling and brothels are part of that freedom, even if one finds it personally distasteful.

[SENsei]

One thing to consider though, is that gambling and pole dancing and adult services are legal.

If you are over 18 you have the right to use these services. We live in a free country and gambling and brothels are part of that freedom, even if one finds it personally distasteful.

Maybe though, as with pole dancing and adult services, they shouldn't be marketed to a general audience?

Playing devil's advocate, if you can't partake until you are 18, should it still be allowed to market to the kids?

Like smoking, adult stuff, swearing....it's all restricted.

Why not gambling advertising?

[Milan Faletic]

I find it really sad when they report someone has had a massive punt on a game ($100k territory) like it's an act of James Bond like bravado, when there is every possibility it's just the act a desperate and sick person.

Those reports are usually press releases from the bookies who usually are spending a lot of money on advertising with that media outlet. So it's a bit of tit for tat....or is that cash for comments. Media Watch did an expose on it a while ago focussing on Ch9's NRL coverage

[Kate]

One thing to consider though, is that gambling and pole dancing and adult services are legal.

If you are over 18 you have the right to use these services. We live in a free country and gambling and brothels are part of that freedom, even if one finds it personally distasteful.

True, however smoking is legal too. There is legislation in place to prevent children from being exposed to cigarette advertising.

[cowboy18]

I agree wholeheartedly, the club's wholehearted promotion of gambling is lamentable. I also agree with JB about the stupidity tax, similar to how cigarettes are taxed.

How about at half time we have 3 pole dancers and we get to vote on the best of them... the winner gets a root.

Good idea - we could use the goal posts and have 4 dancers at each end. Not much of prize for the winner though.

[aussierules0k]

[aussierules0k]

[joffaboy]

I am now regularly nagged to have a bet, by my son, who is not old enough to understand the concept of finacial responsibility.

Boom boom.
And on the way home after a win, he could be thinking... if only mum had gambled we'd be off to luna park now instead of home. Gee, if only she'd bet when I told her to... anyone could see the Saints would win. One day, I'll be able to gamble myself - then I'll show her.

No disrespect to Kate, but it is up to the parents to educate your children on the rights and wrongs of a capitalist society. You can say that betting is bad and causes bad things to happen.

Really it was like when my kids were small. When they saw things on TV, we just called them "TV Tricks" and they understood the difference between reality and fantasy.

So is it worse to advertise gambling to people who are legally not allowed to use the product, or to advertise juck food establishments available to everyone, through kids TV, when we have an obesity and diabeties crises?

jb, kids must be over 18 to gamble or enter pole joints, so there is no line between to 2 imho. If gambling is allowed on the scoreboard, then I say there's a case for pole dancing too. Who's side are you on jb... do you want the pole dancing or not?!!!

lol - personally I cant stand pole dancing. I think it is women hatred at its worst, but if society deems it acceptable to advertise it at the football, if Demetriou thinks that is the image the game wants to project (as he obviously does with gambling), what right do i have to tell anyone not to do it?

A short while ago the word F*ck was banned on TV. You hear it on many TV shows now.

Society norms change. We live in a free democratic society, people have individual rights. Not my call to stop it.

if it did occur, i have the choice not to attend football, or listen to that radio station, or watch that channel. I am not forced to do any of those things.

[aussierules0k]

[joffaboy]

lol - personally I cant stand pole dancing. I think it is women hatred at its worst,

Agree, hence why I made the comparison.

well to me gambling is family hatred.

However both are legal.

[Kate]

No disrespect to Kate, but it is up to the parents to educate your children on the rights and wrongs of a capitalist society. You can say that betting is bad and causes bad things to happen.

Guess what Joffaboy? I, like most parents do educate my children. What about the crappy parents that couldn't be arsed?

My nine year old still thinks I know it all, but some teenagers seem to think that the oldies are idiots who just want to spoil the fun.

I don't think that my message should be in competition with highly paid marketers who went to Uni to learn all the tricks. The more they suck in the more they get paid, so I don't think that we can rely on their moral compass.

[joffaboy]

Guess what Joffaboy? I, like most parents do educate my children. What about the crappy parents that couldn't be arsed?

As I said no disrespect to you Kate. I am sure you did and do. Unfortunately you and I are not responsible for other parents and the way they bring up their kids .

As a parent you know that the best education for you kid is by example. I never drink (or extremely rarely) at home, I dont gamble, my kids still see me studying for my post grad at a ripe old age .

As you say some parents couldn't give a stuff, but we cant inflict our values on them.

My nine year old still thinks I know it all, but some teenagers seem to think that the oldies are idiots who just want to spoil the fun.

yes true. I have two teenagers who think that is our job. keep the lines of communication open, and trust them, and hopefully you get through the teenage years in one piece.

I don't think that my message should be in competition with highly paid marketers who went to Uni to learn all the tricks. The more they suck in the more they get paid, so I don't think that we can rely on their moral compass.

But I am sure your 9 year old would trust your word over some faceless marketing exec.

All we can do as parents is guide your children with your own moral compass (whatever that may be) and then allow them to make their own choices with the best available information.

[rodgerfox]

If it bothers you, don't take your kids to the footy.

[Kate]

If it bothers you, don't take your kids to the footy.

Dumb comment. You just wasted the 6 seconds you took to type it.

[rodgerfox]

If it bothers you, don't take your kids to the footy.

Dumb comment. You just wasted the 6 seconds you took to type it.

I guess you just wasted the 8 seconds it took you to read it and respond.

[saint66au]

I thought it a bit strange that the AFL throws the book at an assistant timekeeper and others for having a $1 bet via his wife, yet will happily allow the ground announcers to spruik the odds at the end of every quarter, courtesty of Betfair

Cant have your cake and eat it too..well apparently you can