You can ban all the pokies you like but people with an addictive nature will find another way to cause themselves harm, a reader says. Photo / File
You can't ban pokie machines
I'm not much of a drinker, having had to put up with a few drunks in the family over the years and I can't even remember the last time I had a bit of a gamble. But the righteous bemoaning from some of our councillors
and a few others in the community about liquor outlets and pokie machines is starting to grate with me.
Will these people never be happy until prohibition comes to New Zealand and gambling is outlawed? Yeah, well that worked well in the USA didn't it! You can ban all the pokies you like but people with an addictive nature will find another way to cause themselves harm. All they need is a mobile phone and a credit card and they can gamble anywhere in the world. At least with our pokies, some of the money comes back into the community and is doing some good. So all this pontification might make them feel good and it might get them a few religious votes next election or perhaps even curry a bit of favour with God, but I sure wish they would just get over themselves.
STEVE BARON
Whanganui
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