V'landys: Gambling is just like going to a restaurant.

[Tragic Eagle]

These ridiculous comments don't sit well with the serious damage and pain gambling does to those afflicted and their families who are not wealthy. It highlights to me he is focussed on the wrong demographic and is the wrong man for the NRL job.

 

[XV-1]

Nobody is forced to gamble.

Nobody is forced to go to restaurants as you can eat cheaper at home.

Peter says, no matter what you do to entertain yourself, do it responsibly.

 

[lsz]

Nobody is forced to go to restaurants as you can eat cheaper at home.

Peter says, no matter what you do to entertain yourself, do it responsibly.

Understand but one has far more consequences than another

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Nobody is forced to gamble.

Nobody is forced to go to restaurants as you can eat cheaper at home.

Peter says, no matter what you do to entertain yourself, do it responsibly.

Exactly.
So the game should continue to promote gambling to children - responsibly - by only having betting company names on their favourite player's jersey. Or maybe all over their home ground stadium. And of course betting ads mixed in and around all the TV shows they want to watch about the game.

Let's face it, everyone knows little kids are smart enough to realise all those messages don't mean gambling is a natural part of being a good sport. Or that it helps you to have fun with mates. (And for those kids too dumb to realise that, it's their parents' fault for not explaining it properly.)

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Remember to eat responsibly

Those after dinner mints will do it to you every time.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Just like the Colosseum........entertainment.........

A lot of things throughout history have been invented or justified as 'entertainment'.............this does not necessarily justify their existence now or in the future.

Using 'entertainment' as the sole argument for the existence of something is weak and poor form, V'landys - whilst being oblivious to the ethical and moral background.

Perhaps his brain gambled with the Brylcreem? Looks like the brain lost.

 

[Chunkytuna]

Whilst I don't think the comparison he made is a very apt one, I also don't think he deserves to be hung, drawn and quartered for exploring all revenue streams that the game can possibly use to grow and provide a product that we're all entertained by. If he didn't, he wouldn't be doing his job, the game might not have the revenue it has and clubs like ours might not even exist!!! Then what would we all be saying??? We'd be screaming blue murder!!!

PVL's job is not to provide moral guidance to each and every member of the public. He's in charge of a business and he's trying to do the best for that business. And his track record is pretty bloody good on that front.

WE on the other hand, are all in charge of ourselves. And there used to be this thing called 'Personal Responsibility' - some of the older members of ST might be familiar with it. It involved taking responsibility for your own actions. Not drinking too much, not gambling too much, and dare I say it - not eating too much.

And yes, I know there's stories aplenty of people gambling their way to ruin - and they're tragic - mainly for their friends and family. And there's also just as many, if not more, stories of people drinking themselves to death - and drinking other innocent people to death, in car accidents. And let's not get started on the amount of fat people in our society ruining their lives and costing the public health system god know how much money.

So what do we do? Do we ban all alcohol sponsorship and advertising as well? Do we ban car sponsors and ads?? Fast food sponsors?? How far do you go to save some people from themselves?? Sooner or later people need to take charge of their own destiny. PLENTY of people enjoy a small punt on various sports all the time - with no consequences other than a bit frustration. I'd venture to say that they would be the vast majority of people who gamble. Do we (as we ALWAYS seem to do) dumb down our society to cater for the idiotic/irresponsible minority?

Until they make any of the above products illegal - then I think it's perfectly legitimate for businesses - including the NRL - to pursue a revenue stream from them.

 

[MuzztheEagle]

Until they make any of the above products illegal - then I think it's perfectly legitimate for businesses - including the NRL - to pursue a revenue stream from them.

I think you mean, until they make advertising the products illegal. After all, tobacco is still legal to buy...(although there's not many places left to smoke it 🙂 )
And I think that (the advertising) is more about what the aversion to gambling companies is. It's the way advertising is being used to manipulate people to gamble more or to get people into gambling that may not have been in interested the past. E.g. just add another to your 12 leg multi, join an app with your friends, felling bad about losing- well here's a bonus bet to keep you on the app. We are all far easier to manipulate and control than we believe.
But yeah, from a business perspective, there's no reason for the NRL not to take their money. Until, we reach a point where the saturation of gambling ads gets to a point that it actually turns people of the game. Either for moral reasons, or because they are simply sick of some flog telling them the odds on 200 potential events every time the game comes on or play stops. And the day when that happens will be here very soon, and even faster if the amount of it continues to increase.

 

[WiseyEagle]

Never liked the bloke

 

[XV-1]

Exactly.
So the game should continue to promote gambling to children - responsibly - by only having betting company names on their favourite player's jersey. Or maybe all over their home ground stadium. And of course betting ads mixed in and around all the TV shows they want to watch about the game.

Let's face it, everyone knows little kids are smart enough to realise all those messages don't mean gambling is a natural part of being a good sport. Or that it helps you to have fun with mates. (And for those kids too dumb to realise that, it's their parents' fault for not explaining it properly.)

Yep, unfortunately the 1% dum fuks that can't control themselves and piss whatever $$ they have against the gambling, alcohol, drugs, food wall should not dictate how the other 99% of people choose to live their lives and spend their hard earner $$.

Prohibition has never worked in the history of civilisation - just look at the catholic church and alike and all the pedo issues they have.

That said, I am not a fan of footy gambling ads on at prime time when young kids are watching. But it is very easy to educate your children thou.

 

[lsz]

Whilst I don't think the comparison he made is a very apt one, I also don't think he deserves to be hung, drawn and quartered for exploring all revenue streams that the game can possibly use to grow and provide a product that we're all entertained by. If he didn't, he wouldn't be doing his job, the game might not have the revenue it has and clubs like ours might not even exist!!! Then what would we all be saying??? We'd be screaming blue murder!!!

PVL's job is not to provide moral guidance to each and every member of the public. He's in charge of a business and he's trying to do the best for that business. And his track record is pretty bloody good on that front.

WE on the other hand, are all in charge of ourselves. And there used to be this thing called 'Personal Responsibility' - some of the older members of ST might be familiar with it. It involved taking responsibility for your own actions. Not drinking too much, not gambling too much, and dare I say it - not eating too much.

And yes, I know there's stories aplenty of people gambling their way to ruin - and they're tragic - mainly for their friends and family. And there's also just as many, if not more, stories of people drinking themselves to death - and drinking other innocent people to death, in car accidents. And let's not get started on the amount of fat people in our society ruining their lives and costing the public health system god know how much money.

So what do we do? Do we ban all alcohol sponsorship and advertising as well? Do we ban car sponsors and ads?? Fast food sponsors?? How far do you go to save some people from themselves?? Sooner or later people need to take charge of their own destiny. PLENTY of people enjoy a small punt on various sports all the time - with no consequences other than a bit frustration. I'd venture to say that they would be the vast majority of people who gamble. Do we (as we ALWAYS seem to do) dumb down our society to cater for the idiotic/irresponsible minority?

Until they make any of the above products illegal - then I think it's perfectly legitimate for businesses - including the NRL - to pursue a revenue stream from them.

Yes but there needs to be a balance between what revenue streams they chase and how aggressively they chase them. In commercial terms I actually think it is short sighted as the recent NSW election showed there is a growing appetite to regulate gambling - the reliance on growing this will, much like the former reliance on television money, create a large risk to the NRL. There is also little consideration to how you expand the games appeal when you are getting into bed with such a divisive partnership.

Take this thread. Whilst ST is hardly reflective of modern life it is instructive that the majority of comments where questioning this with few in support.

There is a reason as to why gambling, alcohol and historically cigarettes have had so much money to invest in sponsorship (making them lucrative).

Unfortunately addiction in many cases is not a case of personal responsibility. There are several factors in play where the person who suffers from addiction is unable to act under those circumstances.

As an example I rarely gamble. Why is that? I was raised in a household where no one gambled so it was not something I was exposed to until my brain was fully developed to a point where I was able to make a rational decision to not gamble.

This is fundamentally different for my son who has almost daily exposure to gambling on his developing mind (via his points bet jersey or watching any sport at all). Now I can understand the argument that as a parent I have a responsibility to educate him but that is difficult when and almost all his friends know the "sports bet guys" who make gambling seem like such a fun mate based activity.

 

[NYEagle]

Oh this is a tough one.

A lot people like gambling, a lot of people like alchohol, a lot of people like video games, a lot of people like pornography, strip clubs etc.

All there different things - call them vices or entertainment they all can kill you, but you can’t take them all away either because what the hell else are we gonna do if we can’t do one or a couple of these?.

Are you going to turn cities into just parks and restaurants?. What’s then to do after 9pm?. I understand Sydney has that problem.

I don’t agree with V’landys attitude on the gambling, I don’t think it is as simple as all that. But I also don’t think his comments are encouraging self destructive gambling, nor is he going to create new problem gamblers. They will find a way regardless. He is just in the business of entertainment - and he does it bloody well I think maybe so well he is open to such scrutiny.

I like the fact he is giving the entertainment angle a go. It’s bringing people back to the game and In the wider sense we all need some distraction on occasion from the bull**** going on around the world.

Now if we can’t just get some decent entertainment at a Grand Final and stop the habit of the NRL wheeling out Barnsey every second year then I know he does done well.

NYEagle

 

[eaglebuzz]

I wasn't selling drugs your honour, I was encouraging entertainment.

 

[Deleted member 26876]

Exactly.
So the game should continue to promote gambling to children - responsibly - by only having betting company names on their favourite player's jersey. Or maybe all over their home ground stadium. And of course betting ads mixed in and around all the TV shows they want to watch about the game.

Let's face it, everyone knows little kids are smart enough to realise all those messages don't mean gambling is a natural part of being a good sport. Or that it helps you to have fun with mates. (And for those kids too dumb to realise that, it's their parents' fault for not explaining it properly.)

Yeah but im not so sure kids are the main issue? I actually reckon kids would rather save their money for the canteen/top shop (especially w/ ice-creams being $4-5).

Once people turn 18 + set up an account for fun, or as Vlandy's would put it, 'for a small meal', it's probably optimistic to think it matters what their parents told them that one time 12 years ago.

I don't mind a bit of it though, it's just omnipresent (Vlandman's comment is a **** take)

 

[TheSoaringEagle2023]

Another big difference between eating out and gambling.
You can addicted to one and blow the whole lot whereas unless you are the worlds fattest human you cant really get addicted to food since your stomach can only hold so much.

 

[wombatgc]

I have a confession. I ate a fancy restaurant on Tuesday night, then again last night.

Tonight I’ll control myself but it will be hard. Most probably though, I’ll eat out again on Saturday night. The food in Sydney is just too tasty for me to control my urges.

And remember, dine responsibly.

Mate you’re a food junkie. You need help.

 

[wombatgc]

That's how it starts, then one day you'll find yourself out the back of your local Maccas rifling through bins for discarded food thinking... 'how did I get here?'

Then it gets to this stage (yes, I know I’ve probably crossed the line, but I’m good at that. It’s only entertainment after all.)

 

[Once Was Brissie Kid]

Following Manly ain't no Happy Meal. Even the free toy is a dud.

 

[XV-1]

Then it gets to this stage (yes, I know I’ve probably crossed the line, but I’m good at that. It’s only entertainment after all.)

Really? You would only have one person to blame - yourself, not that gambling is legal. You a damn fool Willis 🤔

BTW, in the video he was a druggo, not a gambler.

 

[wombatgc]

Really? You would only have one person to blame - yourself, not that gambling is legal. You a damn fool Willis 🤔

BTW, in the video he was a druggo, not a gambler.

Druggo, gambler…it’s still an addiction.
Listening to V’landys comparing going out for dinner and gambling as entertainment reminded me of this discussion in "Idiocrasy". It’s only a matter of time before Brawndo becomes the No1 betting agency. And like the comment underneath the video, what started as a parody, has become a documentary.
*thanks for the Willis reference though. Being from a tv series called "Different Strokes" you have inadvertently hit the nail on the head as far as the subject matter is concerned. (Different strokes for different folks).