Australia: World’s Worst Gamblers

 

Australians are the world’s biggest gamblers, losing $25bn a year. And poker machines are their preferred choice of poison.

Despite its relatively small population, the country is home to 20 percent of the world’s “pokies”, as the machines are known locally, with most found in community pubs and clubs.

Gambling causes widespread social destruction, but taking on the vested interests behind an industry that generates billions in profits and taxes has proved extremely difficult.

Questions And Answers For 21 May

Question: How do you know Republicans voters have gone completely around the twist?
Answer: When a QAnon loving candidate wins the primary election ensuring a defeat in November.

Question: What's the best way piss off the people of Hong Kong and start large protests again?
Answer:  You get China's rubber stamp parliament to enact a national security law that will undermine Hong Kong's basic law.

Question: Has Donald Trump's the media is the enemy of the people had any affect?
Answer: Ask the the 20 journalists arrested in Bangladesh for being critical of the government in posts and articles.

Question: Is it a good idea to ask a Democrat to point out the lies of Donald Trump?
Answer: Only if you're into self abuse and humiliation.

Question: What's the best way to drum up support for the local football team when no fans are allowed in the stadium?
Answer: If you're FC Seoul you bulk purchase sex dolls and put them in the seats.

Question: Is gambling the best way to occupy your time during a coronavirus lockdown?
Answer: Not if it's an illegal casino and the Japanese police arrest 23 people for illegal gambling 

The problem with video gambling machines

Nearly a decade ago, Illinois lawmakers legalized video gambling. They hoped that the machines, which offered up electronic versions of games like slots or poker, would generate billions of dollars of revenue for the state. So they passed a bill quickly, with little debate, to expand the industry dramatically. Illinois now has more than 30,000 of these machines, and more locations to legally place a bet than Nevada. A ProPublica Illinois investigation has found that the expansion of video gambling hasn’t pulled Illinois out of debt — it’s actually accelerated it. While people in Illinois have gambled a lot more on machines that can be highly addictive, most of the additional money has ended up in the hands of a small group of companies behind video gambling.

Taiwan: How Not To Payoff Your Gambling Debts (video)

In Taiwan, the residents of a typically quiet suburb were surprised to hear gunshots, a sound so rare in Taiwan that some nearby residents even mistook the gunshots for firecrackers.

The shooter, Mr. Xu Wanzhen, age 54, was up to his eyeballs in debt. Mr. Xu had a gambling addiction and owed a local gangster over USD $90,000. The gangster, Mr. Lu Yalong, owed the gambling hall where Mr. Xu had lost all of his money and he had hired some fellow gang members to go encourage Mr. Xu to pay up.

The men had beaten up Mr. Xu and told him he needed to hurry up and get the money together. A few days later Mr. Xu called up Mr. Lu and told him he had the money. The two arranged to meet so that Mr. Xu could pay off his debt.