Forum Archive Index - March 2004

["Karyn W" <karyn_in_oz@hotmail.com>]

If you follow the logic of this argument then society should:
(1) Ban all cars and other vehicles, as thousands of people every year are 
killed or maimed in vehicular accidents.  This causes more damage to 
families than a weekly flutter on a pokie machine or lotto ticket.
(2) Ban all forms of drugs and alcohol, as this causes more damage to people 
and families by fuelling domestic violence, street violence, drink driving 
etc.  More people suffer from the effects of alcohol addiction than gambling 
related problems.
(3) Ban all forms of guns, knives, baseball bats, hammers, gardening 
implements - anything that can be used as a weapon.  Obviously these 
dangerous items should not be trusted to ordinary people to make a rational 
decision as to how to use them... like gambling, they may lose total control 
over their actions and go on to commit criminal acts, placing their families 
in jeopardy!!!

At the end of the day gambling is a form of entertainment.  People have been 
indulging in this form of entertainment since time began.  99.9% of people 
dont have a problem with it.  The fact a few do does not make it something 
that should be banned.  You can choose to spend your money on a beer in a 
pub, a movie ticket, or put it into the pokie machine.  None of them has any 
lasting value to you - however a proportion of the money you spend gambling 
will go to a charity, the money you spend on alcohol, food, clothing, 
movies, sports events - will not.

Karyn

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