Sunday 20 December 2015

Who is Australia’s biggest poker machine owner?


GetUp! is an organisation which, to quote their web site, “... is an independent movement to build a progressive Australia & bring participation back into our democracy.”1

Woolworths, in Australia,2 is primarily known as a grocery retailer. Less well known is that they are also a major owner of poker machines.3,4,5

GetUp! has been addressing the issue of poker machines, & in particular, the fact that Woolworths is major poker machine owner. To this end, they recently produced a spoof of a Woolworths advertisement. But they have had trouble getting it aired:

‘We just received word that Channel 9 is refusing to run our new TV ad exposing Woolworths as Australia's largest poker machine owner. Why? Because “Woolworths are a key business partner”’ – info@getup.org.au



More: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maH1ELpwSHU

And just in case you don’t know, this is just one small part of why poker machines are bad for people:


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1 GetUp, https://www.getup.org.au/

2 Woolworths in Australia is in no way related to Woolworths in USA.

3 Woolworth Limited: “Frequently Asked Questions”,
http://www.woolworthslimited.com.au/page/egm/FAQs/

4 Indymedia Australia: “Woolworths alone owns more poker machines than the top five Las Vegas casinos combined”, http://indymedia.org.au/2012/03/02/woolworths-alone-owns-more-poker-machines-than-the-top-five-las-vegas-casinos-combined.html

5 “Who wins from ‘Big Gambling’ in Australia?”, https://theconversation.com/who-wins-from-big-gambling-in-australia-22930
/ Woolworths owns more poker machines top five Las Vegas casinos combined Getup members phoned local MPs reject Government's smokescreen gambling reform bill spoke out against shoddy bill Senator Nick Xenophon Andrew Wilkie MP Australian Greens declaring bill dead on arrival will not support boardrooms largest players poker machine industry major grocery chains Coles Woolworths CEOs Wesfarmers Coles Woolworths power meaningful reform problem gambling gaming problem addiction bankruptcy rent money bill money children family gamblers anonymous /