Readers... dear punters, casino entrepreneurs, sports betting lovers, poker playing sharks and newbies, you know who you are.... poker is once again under attack down under in Australia. No, not online poker this time... playing cards are the target. If its not the God Squad trying to ban FHM, Maxim and the like off supermarket shelves, its their cousins campaigning against the dreaded pack of cards... Media Man and Gambling911 aren't buying the bluff, nor should you! Shuffle up and read on..
Down under in Aussie Land, Kimberley Shire, to be precise, a campaign is on to prohibit the sale of playing cards. Local Kununurra is the main offender, and seems children of all ages are playing 'Poker In The Park'! (maybe they were watching PKR 3D poker TV, PartyPoker or something). WSOP season is kicking off for Aussies in a most unusual fashion.
Yep, poker has hit the parks big time.
For the record Media Man does not condone children breaking the law, but comon', its bloody poker. Just because someone is playing the game doesn't mean they are gambling - playing wagers. They are not playing Strip Poker either, so where's the harm... (big kids 16 or 18 plus depending upon where you live...can play Strip Poker ok, but no minors ok).
Wyndham-East Kimberley Shire chief executive Mr Gaffney advises a ban on playing cards being sold was "negotiated" with town retailers. He says they have been getting a positive result from the ban over the past few weeks.
However, before you can say Bluff, an itinerant vendor filled the void and sold cards from a van. Man with a van!
A few months ago the town shire officials noticed increased "gambling" in parks, and both youth from 10 years of age, up to fully grown adults were spotted. Oh My God... send them all to jail (satire). Late night games were also on the increase.
Police could only break the groups up and move them on, Gaffney aka "Killjoy" said.
"We were walking the parks with the police, our rangers were trying to break it up during the day and the general public was feeling it was pretty poor".
"It was quite evident that kids had quite a lot of money on them from cards. We're not talking 10, 20, we're talking hundreds of dollars. We were exasperated by it."
When retails stopped selling playing cards the poker games are the park cooled off, but we're not sure about the kids and parents online poker gaming exploits.
When the itinerant vendor started selling cards, other retailers decided they were missing out and dropped out of the moratorium!
"We actually achieved something for a short time. All we are trying to do is modify behaviour"! They you go punters, The Thought Police - Control Thoughts, Control Actions, Control Lives! Where's the PPA when you needs them... get down under boys.
Mr "Anti Gambling" Gaffney advised the local council would "work with retailers and police" to try to revive the initiative.
Fellas, should we order a warrant to search their homes for playing cards and poker software also.
Gambling with your rights... don't let it happen to you.
Media Man and Gambling911 advise readers to try to abide to laws, rules and regulation, but do not give in to The Thought Police. Need more clarification, go rent John Carpenter's sci fi classic 'They Live' with Roddy Piper, and then if your ready for the next level, look up 'Casino Jack And The United States Of Money', California Split and 'The Sting'. Don't do anything we wouldn't do. Now, shuffle up and deal!
The Late News
Roulette "Winner" At Crown Casino Takes Them To Court
A female patron of Crown Casino who won $3600 on a spin of the roulette wheel, later to have her winnings paid to another happy customer is taking the casino to court.
The punter put down a $100 chip on a number of the roulette wheel a few weeks ago but did not realise the croupier paid her winnings to a lucky gent until that person departed the winning table.
Marite Martin said a review of video footage by the casino pit boss had backed up her story.
She said she returned to the casino the following day and believed she again saw the man but no action was taken.
Crown spokesman Gary O'Neill said he could not comment on the case as it was due to go before the courts but said the casino was still reviewing the matter. Procedures for resolving bet disputes at Crown are approved by the Victorian Casino and Gaming Authority. Might be a case for Aussie casino king James Packer to green light even more employment of honest and switched folks at Crown. Yep, Crown Casino...'A World Of Entertainment', especially for gaming and media analysts. Bet with your head, not over it, and for Christ's sake, watch those croupiers. See you at the bar.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company
*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited
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