Australia: Politics offers restaurateurs Sales The Glow Gazard license

Gastronomers in Australia are often also displays of gaming machines. Politicians now offer a sale of happiness for 15,000 AUD. With this proposal, Andrew Barr, head of government of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), tries to offer a monetary support option due to the measures against the corona pandemic, since these are usually also active as a slot machine operator. From the politician’s point of view, the proposal also beats two birds with one clap, as the restaurateurs receive money and the gambling offer for society is falling.

Corona deal for restaurateurs: money for the lucky license

The pre-pressing of the laboratory politician Andrew Barr is initially a proposal for all restaurateurs from the Australian capital Canberra, who are also active as a slot machine operator. Since the slot machines in restaurants, but above all bars and pubs are very common in the country and have their own nickname with the word “pokies”, the proposal affects almost all restaurateurs in the city. Of the Return sales of the lucky license should pay off for the hosts in particular in the currently economic imbalance due to the corona pandemic. In addition to the financial incentive of at least 15,000 AUD, the waiver of the operation of slot machines should also regularly criticized spread of gambling in Australia contain.

Gambling in Australia. ”In addition to the beautiful nature, Australia is also known for its wide range of gambling. There is a huge casino in almost every major city. The country does gigantic sales annually through so -called gambling tourism. In addition, there are the numerous slot machines in the gastronomic companies. If the number of slot machines is the same with the number of residents, the world’s highest density of slot machines results. According to a study from 2017, each Australian loses about 850 $ on average in gambling. Around half of these losses come to the so -called “pokies”, of which around 200,000 are distributed in the country. ”

Andrew Barr wants to promote player protection in Australia through this step. Barr hopes that as many restaurateurs as possible are involved in his offer and that this measure will also be well received in other states. As a further incentive, he promised that the funds that have come together after the end of the Corona crisis be invested in the Australian economy could, as well as in numerous other countries, be massively struck by the coronavirus.

Violent criticism of dealing with politics with gaming machines

The proposal Labor politician Andrew Barr that restaurateurs resell their lucky playing licenses to the state also encounters benevolence in other groups. They include the Alliance for Gambling Reform, a association that is financed exclusively through donations. There are various Australian organizations under his roof Against the spread of gambling pronounce. In their opinion, “normalization of gambling in everyday Australian everyday culture” must be prevented.

A clear and public criticism comes mainly from Tim Costello. The pastor is one of the best known and most powerful faces of the Allianz. He and his colleagues encounter the Australian gaming policy have been powerful for many years. A central accusation of the pastor is that politics primarily has the lucrative tax levies in mind and not the protection of society against gambling:

“The view of the overwhelming majority should prevail. And every survey on pokies shows that 70 percent of the population does not want them. And that’s why we ask: why still exists? Because they literally captured the political parties … with this many quick money that is at stake for them. ”

In addition to public criticism, the Alliance for Gambling Reform also started a petition. This is aimed primarily at the heads of government of other Australian states to take over and implement the proposals from laboratory politician Andrew Barr. It is important to offer the restaurateur, which is heavily battered by the Corona crisis harmful effects of gambling reduced. So far, however, no other politicians have commented on the Barr suggestions. The discussion will certainly be even more present in the future.