In Victoria, Australia there has been a lot of positive publicity about gambling. Here is the contents of a sheet I was given, outlining some of the negatives. These are not necessarily the views of the owner of this web page, but are included to facilitate a balanced debate.

FACTS SHEET

A collection of facts related to gambling and the casino in 1996

10/12/95
2000 people attend an interchurch anti gambling rally to protest the Government's relentless promotion of gambling in Victoria.

15/12/95
In response the Government announces a freeze on new gaming machine approvals for shopping centres whilst a review is conducted.

28/12/95
Responding to criticism of the Casino by the Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, the Premier challenged the church, ``Unless you can provide alternative employment or come up with a better scheme, then I would suggest that to properly manage and monitor the development of this new leisure industry is just as important for the security of individuals and families as it is to get a good wheat crop in Victoria''.

20/1/96
State Government revenue raised from Victorian gamblers estimated to top $1 billion, constituting 14% of the state based revenue.

23/1/96
It is announced that more than a third of the $150 million Community Support Fund (earmarked to assist problem gamblers) is being used to pay for the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. $1.5 million has been given as prize money for the Ford Australia Open and $1 million given as a loan to the owners of the Rialto building.

25/1/96
A man whose gambling addiction began when the casino opened bashed his wife and baby son in a bid to get more money to spend gambling.

29/2/96
Fourth planned expansion of Crown Casino in two and a half years - representing a doubling in size of the original casino plans. This is equivalent to over 3 city blocks in size and, costed at $150 million, makes the casino one of the largest gambling and entertainment venues in the world, raising the total cost of the Crown Casino to $1.5 billion.

15/3/96
Senior Government ministers are accused of misleading the public over their knowledge of bids for the Melbourne casino licence.

16/3/96
Losing bidder for the casino claims Crown was provided with secret financial information by the Government which gave it an unfair advantage in the bidding process.

18/3/96
Dr. Jane McMillen, key adviser for the establishment of the Casino and Gaming Authority said ``the Authority has breeched its guidelines by passing information about bids to the Government.'' She then called for a judicial inquiry.

20/3/96
A public inquiry into the social effects of gambling found (among other situations) that a man tried to commit suicide after losing his family home, his wife and son. He tried to save his relationship with his wife by taking his son to McDonalds for lunch, but gambled the lunch money on the way.

28/3/96
Police confirmed that Crown gamblers were selling cars and jewelry to pay debts. A State Government committee weas told that one desperate gambler sold his car in the casino car park.

24/4/96
Research from the Interchurch gambling taskforce reveals Melbourne's gaming machines are concentrated in its poorer suburbs. The western suburbs having almost three times as many poker machine than the more affluent suburbs with one gaming machine to every 110 people, compared with every 305 in the eastern suburbs.

30/5/96
The Community Support Fund is transferred from the office of the Gaming Minister to the Premier's department and claims are made that the Premier is too closely linked to the casino owners to objectively control the fund, which is designed to assist problem gamblers.

1/6/96
The Auditor General found that the government has spent only 0.6% of the annual $65 million Community Support Fund on gambling research, despite widespread community concern about its social impact.

7/6/96
The Auditor General went on to attack the Government's deal with Crown Casino regarding 150 extra gaming tables for the new casino. He said the licence fee was $185 million. $174 million less than the maximum the Government could have charged Crown.

25/7/96
A woman stole over $200,000 from her disabled son's accident compensation payout and gambled it away on poker machines.

6/8/96
A county court judge criticised the Crown Casino for ``fetting'' a problem gambler who lost more than $200,000 in 18 months and held up a bank to feed his habit.

7/9/96
Crown Casino announced net profits for 1995-6 at $58.4 million - a 76% increase on last years profits.

18/9/96
One of Australia's largest property developers blames the impact of gambling on retail sales for its decision to slash $57 million from the value of its shopping centres at Greensborough and Dandenong.

2/10/96
A study conducted by stockbroking from Macquarie Finance Corp. found that Victorian gamblers lose an average $160 a day to every pub poker machine - more than twice that of other states.

16/10/96
The Breakeven Problem Gambling Counselling Service carry out a survey on problem gamblers and find that one in four turn to crime to feed their habit, confessing to offences such as fraud, theft, forgery and embezzlement.

20/10/96
Publicity surrounding football personality Sam Newmans' drink driving charge highlights the casino's carefully planned system of cultivating ``celebrities'' (via free drink, meals & gambling chips), to lure punter through the door.

21/11/96
[Premier] Jeff Kennett accuses Cambodian born MP, Hong Lim of insulting Asians by warning that their Crown Casino gambling habits were causing serious social problems. Lim suggests Victoria's 4% Asian population represents up to 60% of the casino's clientele. A Melbourne University report claims Asian and Indo-chinese publications are saturated with casino ads.

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10/12/95	2000 people attend an interchurch anti gambling rally to protest the Government's relentless promotion of gambling in Victoria.
15/12/95	In response the Government announces a freeze on new gaming machine approvals for shopping centres whilst a review is conducted.
28/12/95	Responding to criticism of the Casino by the Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, the Premier challenged the church, ``Unless you can provide alternative employment or come up with a better scheme, then I would suggest that to properly manage and monitor the development of this new leisure industry is just as important for the security of individuals and families as it is to get a good wheat crop in Victoria''.
20/1/96	State Government revenue raised from Victorian gamblers estimated to top $1 billion, constituting 14% of the state based revenue.
23/1/96	It is announced that more than a third of the $150 million Community Support Fund (earmarked to assist problem gamblers) is being used to pay for the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. $1.5 million has been given as prize money for the Ford Australia Open and $1 million given as a loan to the owners of the Rialto building.
25/1/96	A man whose gambling addiction began when the casino opened bashed his wife and baby son in a bid to get more money to spend gambling.
29/2/96	Fourth planned expansion of Crown Casino in two and a half years - representing a doubling in size of the original casino plans. This is equivalent to over 3 city blocks in size and, costed at $150 million, makes the casino one of the largest gambling and entertainment venues in the world, raising the total cost of the Crown Casino to $1.5 billion.
15/3/96	Senior Government ministers are accused of misleading the public over their knowledge of bids for the Melbourne casino licence.
16/3/96	Losing bidder for the casino claims Crown was provided with secret financial information by the Government which gave it an unfair advantage in the bidding process.
18/3/96	Dr. Jane McMillen, key adviser for the establishment of the Casino and Gaming Authority said ``the Authority has breeched its guidelines by passing information about bids to the Government.'' She then called for a judicial inquiry.
20/3/96	A public inquiry into the social effects of gambling found (among other situations) that a man tried to commit suicide after losing his family home, his wife and son. He tried to save his relationship with his wife by taking his son to McDonalds for lunch, but gambled the lunch money on the way.
28/3/96	Police confirmed that Crown gamblers were selling cars and jewelry to pay debts. A State Government committee weas told that one desperate gambler sold his car in the casino car park.
24/4/96	Research from the Interchurch gambling taskforce reveals Melbourne's gaming machines are concentrated in its poorer suburbs. The western suburbs having almost three times as many poker machine than the more affluent suburbs with one gaming machine to every 110 people, compared with every 305 in the eastern suburbs.
30/5/96	The Community Support Fund is transferred from the office of the Gaming Minister to the Premier's department and claims are made that the Premier is too closely linked to the casino owners to objectively control the fund, which is designed to assist problem gamblers.
1/6/96	The Auditor General found that the government has spent only 0.6% of the annual $65 million Community Support Fund on gambling research, despite widespread community concern about its social impact.
7/6/96	The Auditor General went on to attack the Government's deal with Crown Casino regarding 150 extra gaming tables for the new casino. He said the licence fee was $185 million. $174 million less than the maximum the Government could have charged Crown.
25/7/96	A woman stole over $200,000 from her disabled son's accident compensation payout and gambled it away on poker machines.
6/8/96	A county court judge criticised the Crown Casino for ``fetting'' a problem gambler who lost more than $200,000 in 18 months and held up a bank to feed his habit.
7/9/96	Crown Casino announced net profits for 1995-6 at $58.4 million - a 76% increase on last years profits.
18/9/96	One of Australia's largest property developers blames the impact of gambling on retail sales for its decision to slash $57 million from the value of its shopping centres at Greensborough and Dandenong.
2/10/96	A study conducted by stockbroking from Macquarie Finance Corp. found that Victorian gamblers lose an average $160 a day to every pub poker machine - more than twice that of other states.
16/10/96	The Breakeven Problem Gambling Counselling Service carry out a survey on problem gamblers and find that one in four turn to crime to feed their habit, confessing to offences such as fraud, theft, forgery and embezzlement.
20/10/96	Publicity surrounding football personality Sam Newmans' drink driving charge highlights the casino's carefully planned system of cultivating ``celebrities'' (via free drink, meals & gambling chips), to lure punter through the door.
21/11/96	[Premier] Jeff Kennett accuses Cambodian born MP, Hong Lim of insulting Asians by warning that their Crown Casino gambling habits were causing serious social problems. Lim suggests Victoria's 4% Asian population represents up to 60% of the casino's clientele. A Melbourne University report claims Asian and Indo-chinese publications are saturated with casino ads.