As I don't gamble, as a rule I have no interest in Pokies.....I have a few friends who do like to spend their $10 for an hour's entertainment.....I do like a drink and a smoke....all in moderation (Well most times) These things are always up to the individual..... all things can become an addiction

There are so many things that you can bet on it isn't funny but it is up to you if you do or not.

I don't see a problem if clubs have pokies to make some money.....I would prefer it to the big gambling companies.....Just saying....

As I don't gamble, as a rule I have no interest in Pokies.....I have a few friends who do like to spend their $10 for an hour's entertainment.....I do like a drink and a smoke....all in moderation (Well most times) These things are always up to the individual..... all things can become an addiction

There are so many things that you can bet on it isn't funny but it is up to you if you do or not.

I don't see a problem if clubs have pokies to make some money.....I would prefer it to the big gambling companies.....Just saying....

tend to agree.

As an aside were the MFC not to have them its not as if they would then be off the market. Somebody else will use them.

We have become a society whereby everything wrong is someone else's fault. Invariably it's not....also just saying

As an aside were the MFC not to have them its not as if they would then be off the market. Somebody else will use them.

We have become a society whereby everything wrong is someone else's fault. Invariably it's not....also just saying

Not sure I agree with the logic of 'somebody else will use them', Bub.

It's one thing to know the dog has fleas, it's another to lie next to him willingly and catch them.

While some on here have no problem with pokies and others detest them, I reckon it would be fair to say that most would like us not to be dependant upon them to keep afloat, which appears to be the case now. I was talking to a mad Norf supporting friend about this the other day and he mentioned they gave up their pokies to Etihad to pay off a debt. They now use their 'no pokies' position to create a marketing point of difference. Heavily involved in NGOs and community groups. Said that so far it is roughly covering what they would have made from them.

Updated article here:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/the-afl-has-backed-melbournes-pokies-venture/story-fni5f91a-1226789065192

Big increase in revenue as in 2013 we pulled in $11.2m, that must be a huge boost in our revenue.

If you look at our loss posted of around $3-4m with all our one off extras's its starting to look better. As our crap on field resulted in a $4m drop in normal game day revenue for the year.

So if we get the boys up and running, not have to pay out salaries and restore that $4m the club is starting too look better financially as thats can be a very quick $8m turnaround.

Moonshadow...simply this. If we dont use the machine licences someone else will....guaranteed.

They are too sought after.

Not sure I agree with the logic of 'somebody else will use them', Bub.

It's one thing to know the dog has fleas, it's another to lie next to him willingly and catch them.

While some on here have no problem with pokies and others detest them, I reckon it would be fair to say that most would like us not to be dependant upon them to keep afloat, which appears to be the case now. I was talking to a mad Norf supporting friend about this the other day and he mentioned they gave up their pokies to Etihad to pay off a debt. They now use their 'no pokies' position to create a marketing point of difference. Heavily involved in NGOs and community groups. Said that so far it is roughly covering what they would have made from them.

Moonshadow...simply this. If we dont use the machine licences someone else will....guaranteed.

They are too sought after.

Food for thought; http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/pokie-licence-debt-forcing-rsl-and-community-clubs-to-close/story-fni0fit3-1226686865712

Lets take Collingwood as a random example, on average one of their machines brings in $68,000 (gross). Take away licence fees and maintenance and things start to get interesting.

I'm not saying they aren't profitable, they are very, but outside the tax free nature of football clubs if you don't have the right location and business, after the costs and tax you can very easily loose like the people who play them.

Edit; unsure if figure is gross or net.

Edited December 24, 201311 yr by PJ_12345

Moonshadow...simply this. If we dont use the machine licences someone else will....guaranteed.

They are too sought after.

Probably true bub. I do not disagree. My point being that the club supports the pokie industry by having them. At the moment we are hooked on them. I think I read on the club web site that our significant losses this year were tempered by the revenue made from our gaming venues. Would be nice to not need them so much. The mindset of saying that 'the licences exist so we might as well make the most of them' depends upon ones position on the practice of pokie use.

11 million is a big chunk of change to find elsewhere

I assume West Coast and Fremantle survive without this revenue stream?

I assume West Coast and Fremantle survive without this revenue stream?

ever heard of the mining industry?

there's a lot of coin out west

Edited December 24, 201311 yr by daisycutter

ever heard of the mining industry?

there's a lot of coin out west

AFL clubs get a slice of mining profits? Crazy stuff.

Who cares about the morality of it all.

If it helps us get on the field any given Saturday, then bring it on!

Edited December 24, 201311 yr by Bring-Back-Powell

no one forces you to put your hard earned cash in

just like drinking and smoking

all can be addictive

its your choice to play or not to play

I'm not that much a fan of 'aggressive' as a corporate culture for a community organisation. Though I understand people use 'aggression' to refer to 'actually doing things' sometimes. Because... I dunno...

Its a football club.

Not a flamin' community organisation.

With passive attitudes like this.

No wonder there hasn't been a flag in 50years.

Edited December 25, 201311 yr by Fork 'em

Don't seem to recall anyone complaining about DeesBet or Tooheys...

Maybe you weren't looking at the time?

I raised it as something that troubled me when other clubs first did it (Sportsbet etc.) and when our club joined the wagon with DeesBet.

Seriously, poor form to suggest that people are being hypocritical on the basis that you didn't actually know anything about their track record.

Aren't you one of the guys that keeps getting banned for personal/irrelevant attacks and derailing threads?

I raised it as something that troubled me when other clubs first did it (Sportsbet etc.) and when our club joined the wagon with DeesBet.

I reckon you're in a hard spot LG. I don't have your issues with gambling, it's legal and I hate the nanny state which stops many having freedoms because a few can't handle it or don't respect it. It doesn't mean I don't understand why you have the views you have.

I also think our club needs this revenue stream. I hope it doesn't kill your interest in footy.

Just as an aside, how many of us know Essendon supporters who recognize the issues with the drug situation and have adjusted their support for the club either emotionally or financially?

...

Just as an aside, how many of us know Essendon supporters who recognize the issues with the drug situation and have adjusted their support for the club either emotionally or financially?

Most Essendon supporters I know seem completely oblivious, offering explanations like:

But didn't they find out everyone was doing the same thing?

But I thought no Essendon players were injected, it was all just planned.

I thought it had been proven the players didn't take anything illegal?

When told otherwise it quickly becomes apparent whether they are in the stand blind by Hird camp or genuinely mislead.

The third option applies to very few people including one who is a good mate, a Hird idoliser and mad nut Essendon member. Since the information has come out he has been much less emotionally involved and supportive of his club. And thinks Hird is scumbag.

Aren't you one of the guys that keeps getting banned for personal/irrelevant attacks and derailing threads?

Hope you appreciate the irony in saying that.

Maybe you weren't looking at the time?

I raised it as something that troubled me when other clubs first did it (Sportsbet etc.) and when our club joined the wagon with DeesBet.

Seriously, poor form to suggest that people are being hypocritical on the basis that you didn't actually know anything about their track record.

And now to address your on-topic points...

Don't see where I called anyone hypocritical? Maybe you're feeling that way and thus taking my point in that direction yourself.

The ACTUAL point was the stigma attached to pokies as opposed to betting on sport and alcoholism, which are apparently totally fine...

And now to address your on-topic points...

Don't see where I called anyone hypocritical? Maybe you're feeling that way and thus taking my point in that direction yourself.

The ACTUAL point was the stigma attached to pokies as opposed to betting on sport and alcoholism, which are apparently totally fine...

So your ACTUAL point was that people were hypocritically stigmatising pokies but not sport and alcohol, but you don't see it as suggesting anyone was hypocritical.

Nice. I see what you did there.

And now to address your on-topic points...

Don't see where I called anyone hypocritical? Maybe you're feeling that way and thus taking my point in that direction yourself.

The ACTUAL point was the stigma attached to pokies as opposed to betting on sport and alcoholism, which are apparently totally fine...

Don't see much love for alcoholism or betting addiction on this thread Stuie.

So your ACTUAL point was that people were hypocritically stigmatising pokies but not sport and alcohol, but you don't see it as suggesting anyone was hypocritical.

Nice. I see what you did there.

11 million is a big chunk of change to find elsewhere

If they could find a decent spot to put them that number would probably be 19 million, the sooner we have our own VFL side running out of Casey and maybe build a Tavern down there and put 50 pokies in it the better, of course we need to be on good terms with Casey Council to achieve this but I'm sure it would be in the back of PJ mind.

If they could find a decent spot to put them that number would probably be 19 million, the sooner we have our own VFL side running out of Casey and maybe build a Tavern down there and put 50 pokies in it the better, of course we need to be on good terms with Casey Council to achieve this but I'm sure it would be in the back of PJ mind.

Position, position, position

The Casey Scorpions actually had licences to go into their premises at Casey Fields but couldn't get their act together financially to set up a proper pokies venue. I think they've now done their dash and it's a pity that Melbourne couldn't pick up the slack.

I've long been a supporter of an alignment with an independent VFL side but I now believe that's going against the trend. The thing that's persuading me otherwise (and this is an observation from afar) is the lack of apparent support from both the old Springvale community and the local Casey community. I say this because crowds at home games are generally poor and would be even worse without the Demon supporters. In the medium term, the blueprint I envisage is that the club must become the Casey or Cranbourne Demons with greater input or some form of union with the local Cranbourne Football Club which appears to be a strong community based club.