SBS Insight show on online gambling

**shari91** · 09-13-11, 07:42 AM

I missed it but thanks for the heads up - I'll try to find it online tonight when I'm done working.

I've been seeing articles online about the live odds being banned during matches... may have even been something about it already having been passed in Parliament but I can't recall off the top of my head. But yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing them go as well. When I first moved here I thought it was hilarious that they did that but I can definitely see how it could cause a lot of trouble for someone with a serious gambling problem. Or even as a way of hooking kids - very easy to pick up the phone and get started.

**astrobloke** · 09-13-11, 08:00 AM

Nick Xenophone the narcasist moron, wouldnt even know 2 bob about how the real world lives.

I bet if you followed him round for 24 hours, his life would revolve around, booze, strip clubs, cheap ass women, using cr3dit cards where they are not supposed to be, yada yada yada.

These guys sicken me, that our tax paying dollars go to their salary and for what, so they come up with shitty schemes like this.

Will they grow a brain, no!... shame that this is the best country to live in the world, but just look at the FULL TARDS we have running the show!!! Sad, very sad indeed.

If you earn your money honestly (which most politicians would not know about) you should be entitled to do with it what you want. It is your money to do with what you want.

What would these morons know about gambling and the darker side the ruins familes....the silly twats get everything given to them on a silver platter. Shame on you nick....

Who wants to put a bet on NICK Z growing a brain. I would let you bet, but the odds are not too good!

LOL.

I rest my case.

**MrXYZ** · 09-13-11, 08:13 AM

I missed it but thanks, will watch it online tomorrow. Would've been fun to be in the audience & maybe throw my 2 cents into the discussion lol.

It cracks me up when the commentators tell you the odds whenever a team hits the lead then say gamble responsibly. I always picture the opposite, some degen punter ringing up the TAB & going all in.

**kingsr** · 09-13-11, 08:38 AM

Can someone please post the link when it becomes available?

**RLF** · 09-13-11, 08:42 AM

I reckon you have to give some credit to the Australian government, the gambling industry is heavily regulated and competitive here compared to most countries. I'd like to see the abolishment of live odds advertised during sport too. It's really overkill.

**benrama** · 09-13-11, 04:38 PM

Show is now available to watch here, http://www.sbs.com.au/insight/episod...28#watchonline

**benrama** · 09-13-11, 05:30 PM

Love how the show opens with a guy saying he bets "$50-300" a week on sports/horses, I was thinking "yea right mate - that's just what you tell your wife!".

Then the poker player guy says he plays only "1 hour" or "2-3 hours a day when he feels like it" (paraphrasing) with $10K spread on the tables. Ummm - more like you spend 18 hours a day!

Xenophone is a classic "nanny state advocate", and you can tell he feels like he is the saviour of Australia from all the ills of the devil. I still think he plays an important "devils advocate" role, and as I said - he came across more reasonable than usual.

I'm a libertarian at heart, and I hate the fact that Australia is such a "nanny state". Government should get the fk out of our personal lives, if we want to smoke a joint, punt on sport, marry the same sex, whatever - then that's our decision. The people running in politics are consistently proven to be liars, cheaters, weirdos (chair sniffing anyone??), and they are the ones wanting to regulate our lives? Please!

That said, I understand that a significant % of the population WANTS gambling regulation, so I think a pragmatic middle ground would be as follows:

- Only displaying live odds at the beginning of the game and at half time
- Allowing people to download "sportsbooks apps" that run on your TV if you want odds at all times - this is a future thing, but I work in the TV industry and can tell you the world is moving to the "app store on your TV"
- Ensuring each sportsbook has the ability to set betting limits, so punters can limit their max bet size (adjustable with, say a 24 hour delay), and set stop loss points

In return the Aussie sportsbooks should be able to offer live betting like the overseas books do.

**astrobloke** · 09-13-11, 05:49 PM

Very good points benrama.

I use to work for a big multimedia firm in Sydney for interactive TV, and for apps. I agree with will be huge in the future.

No matter how many restrictions you put on those chain smoking grannies in sports jackets and joggers....they are still going to find a way to bet and push buttons....all while locking their grandkids in the hot car with the windows right up.

It is the mentality of the gambler...the government is waisting their time trying to change people and the emotional make up of a person that gambles for fun or an addict. It aint gunna happen. They are wasting their money. Like I said, if there is a will there is a way.

and Xenophone, well that moron just likes getting air time on telly, and the sound of his own voice. The guy probably hits the pubs clubs and casinos on the weekend with the boys!!! 99% sure of it. LOL *winks*

**benrama** · 09-13-11, 06:27 PM

Well, we may have crossed paths then astro, particularly if you worked for Massive, OpenTV or NDS

I fundamentally object to the abuse of the 5% - often with emotional problems that can't be solved by rules - dictating what the 95% should be allowed to do; this country is rife with it. Last year we had new years eve at a friends place at Cremorne point and the whole grass section for that year was alcohol free. Why? Because the year before there was a fight between two hoons that had got ugly. So now everyone was punished and you couldn't even have a beer or glass of wine in the vantage points to watch the fireworks. Instead you had to stick to the slithers of grass on private property, with scores of police walking back and forward literally monitoring if you stepped over the imaginary "line".

Remember also watching the Aus Open in Fed square earlier in the year and a mate and I had smoked a joint by the Yarra, we also had a little hip flask of vodka. Nothing in excess just enjoying ourselves. Well they had banned alcohol in the square, and to enforce it they had employed people to come around and sniff people's drinks whilst they were sitting on blankets on the square. Unbelievable!

This type of thing really shits me off, and we the Aussie people allow it; but don't get me started on that rant

Agree with you re: Xenophone, it's usually these conservative types that end up being found with hookers and blow on a sunday afternoon whilst telling the wife they are at church

**astrobloke** · 09-13-11, 06:42 PM

Benny boy,

Cool!

Things are getting ridiculous yes, and can totally empathise with you being a young person just wanting to go out and have fun. Not be a trouble causer, we all suffer because of one or two full tard flannel wearing bogans.

I am sick of the govt and law authorities on their power trips.

Got a buddy who paints houses for a living. Meet him for breakfast at 5:30 am one day. Cop was sitting there at the counter as well..my buddy was in his painting whites. cop asked if he was a house painter..Yup...well, I have a house that needs the outside painted. Would you come over and give me a bid...Nope...oh, pretty busy, huh? ...Nope...well then I do not understand...my buddy: do you REALLY want to understand? The cop..sure would..my buddy...I ONLY work for the private sector. You get a REAL job, be happy to come over and bid it for you!..the cop..wait a minute, pal! I pay taxes too!..my buddy..the PHUCK you do matey. Every dime you make is from tax money. YOU JUST REBATE SOME OF IT, PAL!!! :-)

**donkson** · 09-14-11, 02:33 AM

It would be hard to beat the UK in terms of their freedom to gamble.

Live betting, markets for everything available, no tax.

**Bazz27** · 09-14-11, 03:42 AM

I couldn't believe with all that talk for an hour the words 'MONEY MANAGEMENT" was used only the once !!

**benrama** · 09-14-11, 07:10 AM

Yep - UK seem to have their shit together, we could do well to follow their lead. Wonder what their stats are about problem gambling - I wouldn't be surprised if we have high numbers just because it's in our DNA, not because of regulation or lack thereof.

And Bazz, money management makes it sound like some people act rationally in sports betting - can't have that! We all know that all of us degenerates are depositing and going all in every second play! (actually, that does describe my first foray into it

)

**Duff85** · 09-14-11, 07:25 AM

Originally posted by benrama

Anyone watch it tonight? Should be available online some time tomorrow.

Was pretty compelling viewing, included sports punters, horse punters and poker players.

Nick Xenophone came across more reasonable than I thought he would be but I have no doubt he'd still like to shut down all online gambling if he had the chance.

Lots of talk about getting rid of all the odds displaying and talk during live broadcasts - don't mind that myself actually, it does get a bit annoying and if you want to live bet you know where to go.

Didn't realise David Schwarz lost $4M on gambling too, just did some googling and see that his punting days included a bender winning $500K at the races and losing $100K at Crown Casino. Don't feel so bad about some of my benders now

Xenophon is a tool. lol at the other goose who lost 100k in online casinos.

I (like many of the others here) love to gamble on sports. I am sick of sports broadcasts being invaded by live odds updates... leave them out of the game altogether... no need. If you want that stuff - you ain't getting it from a stale tv update... your hitting live odds updates from three Japanese second division soccer games, while sweating some Korean Baseball and trying to follow whatever the Aussies sports are that afternoon.

**donkson** · 09-14-11, 08:48 AM

I think in Aus there is this mentality from the uninformed (not sure if its the same in other countries) where all gambling = house wins therefore its always bad.

**aunty jack** · 09-14-11, 09:03 AM

Thanx for posting the link. I don't usually watch SBS unless there's a decent soccer game, a war documentary or a boob-fest foreign movie.

I like how the chunky blonde bloke got in two plugs for his horse, 'Irish Wristwatch'. Did a Google search out of curiosity - and found the term is listed in the Urban Dictionary as a kinky sex act involving a potato! But that's a story for another day...

Personally, I think Nick Xenophon and Andrew Wilkie mean well in their anti-gambling crusade. Having said that, a free society like ours also involves the right to make wrong choices.

Poker machines are a scourge and hooked a close friend of mine, but I doubt the proposed pre-committment cards will work. I have no time for online casinos or poker either. If you're silly enough to dance with the devil, you deserve the consequences.

Like most of the posters in this thread, I despise the use of in-play odds during sports commentary... be it Rabbits Warren in the NRL or Tony Greig during the cricket. From what I gather, the government has given broadcasters 12 months to voluntarily stop the practice or risk facing regulation.

Online sports betting has changed the goal posts in recent years - excuse the pun. I enjoy it, but you need to be constantly on guard and exercise restraint, discipline and the 'money management' mantra. When you know the odds for a Collingwood, Storm and Man Utd premiership multi - but forget your anniversary date - then you have a problem...

($12.15 in case anyone was wondering)

**benrama** · 09-14-11, 07:03 PM

Originally posted by donkson

I think in Aus there is this mentality from the uninformed (not sure if its the same in other countries) where all gambling = house wins therefore its always bad.

It's definitely the same view in the UK, hence why they don't have tax implications, and in the US as well, whereby the poker community hasn't been able to convince officials that poker can be a game of skill.

I invest in stocks and options, and I can tell you that for 90% of people it's a much gambling as sports betting; even more so in a way, in that many people don't even know about the companies they invest in, and don't watch them, understand the situational aspects, etc. At least when you bet on your favourite sporting team it is often with detailed knowledge of their ins and outs. Stock investments in the Graham/Buffet tradition is different, but these days that's a dying breed.

I think the whole gambling can be profitable angle is somewhat moot though, better off just treating it as pure entertainment. Some people choose to spend $50 on a bottle of wine, some $200 on a Britney concert, and some $500 on Georgia +19.5 in the world cup

**benrama** · 09-14-11, 07:20 PM

Originally posted by aunty jack

Thanx for posting the link. I don't usually watch SBS unless there's a decent soccer game, a war documentary or a boob-fest foreign movie.

Or even better, a post-WWII documentary on topless women's soccer games

I like how the chunky blonde bloke got in two plugs for his horse, 'Irish Wristwatch'. Did a Google search out of curiosity - and found the term is listed in the Urban Dictionary as a kinky sex act involving a potato! But that's a story for another day...

That's some weird shit, that guy was a bit strange so it doesn't surprise me, wonder if he had a bet with his mates to get $50 each time he mentioned that horse's name!

Personally, I think Nick Xenophon and Andrew Wilkie mean well in their anti-gambling crusade. Having said that, a free society like ours also involves the right to make wrong choices.

Poker machines are a scourge and hooked a close friend of mine, but I doubt the proposed pre-committment cards will work. I have no time for online casinos or poker either. If you're silly enough to dance with the devil, you deserve the consequences.

Like most of the posters in this thread, I despise the use of in-play odds during sports commentary... be it Rabbits Warren in the NRL or Tony Greig during the cricket. From what I gather, the government has given broadcasters 12 months to voluntarily stop the practice or risk facing regulation.

Online sports betting has changed the goal posts in recent years - excuse the pun. I enjoy it, but you need to be constantly on guard and exercise restraint, discipline and the 'money management' mantra. When you know the odds for a Collingwood, Storm and Man Utd premiership multi - but forget your anniversary date - then you have a problem...

($12.15 in case anyone was wondering)

Pokies are evil shit, I agree. I only flutter on them after a drink too many, but they are seriously a mugs game. My objection to them is that they are designed by PHD's in psychology who have studied the human brain and carefully designed the machines to manipulate it - and they are mostly predominant in places where people are vulnerable socio-economically. Also - they are mostly a highly anti-social activity.

I am generally anti-government intervention when it comes to our personal lives, but I do make exceptions, and for pokies I would consider government intervention; I think to change behaviour you need to change the economics, and so I would make poker machine operators pay out at rates comparable to roulette/blackjack - then watch the pokies disappear in large numbers. Clubs could then decide to keep them for entertainment purposes and related expenditure rather than a money sucking machine.

Sports betting I think is a different category, as I mentioned above I like the idea of bringing in stop loss mechanisms, but apart from that I think it needs to be de-regulated more than regulated. Live betting should be opened up - that's a no brainer, people are doing it on offshore books anyway, so at least our government should keep the tax revenue.

But the live odds during the telecast will change - this will the last 12 months we see it like it is now. I don't think broadcasters will do it themselves - which of them wants to be the first to forego revenue? - I think it will ultimately involve government regulation.

**astrobloke** · 09-14-11, 07:27 PM

Originally posted by benrama

and some $500 on Georgia +19.5 in the world cup

ha ha. You got me! That was a great game.

Just wait till the finals in the RWC, oh yeah! Bring it on.

**benrama** · 09-14-11, 08:54 PM

Haha, no cheeky jab on you mate, I had a decent 3 figure sum on it too!

I have two bets I use these days, my normal bets and my action bets - the action bets are about 1/5 of my normal wagers - enough to keep it interesting, but not too much to blow the bankroll or care too much if I lose. My normal bets I only apply if I've personally looked into the game (if I know the team/league), or if a select few trusted cappers are on a game (if I don't).

World cup finals should be a cracker, hopefully we will all still be "eeeeehhhhh!"