Should they get rid of the Bookies shops?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....ting-high-street.html

We have seen smoking banned from pubs, calls for the ban on cheap supermarket booze, and campaigns started to educate us into what type of food to eat.

Do you agree that there should now also be a curb on gambling, especially in today's present financial climate?

And while at it, why not a ban on all these TV adverts that encourage some of the less wealthy, to go into debt for all those luxury household items.

Incidentally have you noticed that they and the Bingo adverts are primary aimed at the female of the species?

[sandyRoe]

The way things are going, betting shops might soon be the shops on the High Street.

[emmie]

in many places i have visited, they are the only shops open.

[sandyRoe]

typo there. Should have read; "...might soon be the only shops...

[Old_Geezer]

Smoking banned in pubs as it is unreasonable to inflict that on other customers.

Cheap booze banned only if less than cost price as it is immoral to entice folk with drugs like that.

Gambling is less clear cut. It doesn't immediately affect those around you. And no one is being deliberately targeted with below cost enticements. It's probably best left alone: and cases of compulsion dealt with on an individual basis, since there is a limit on what should be barred to the majority because a minority have a personal problem.

I suspect Bingo is aimed at the female of the species because traditionally that is where most interest is.

[anotheoldgit]

Old_Geezer

/// it is immoral to entice folk with drugs like that. ///

Aren't betting shops also enticing folk to gamble?

Gambling is also a drug Geezer.

/// Gambling is less clear cut. It doesn't immediately affect those around you.///

Try telling that to a family who are waiting for the wage earner to bring home his pay, except there isn't any because he has popped into the bookies and put it all on a losing horse or dog.

[craft1948]

Illegal gambling was rife before legitimate bookies opened up................if you're a gambler you'll lose your money on anything.

[Euphemia]

and the National lottery?

[boxtops]

The report on the radio this morning suggested that betting shops tend to be a place where people hang around with nowhere else to go in the daytime, can give rise to ASBOs etc. I don't know how people afford to keep bookies going - I couldn't afford to gamble every day.

[ummmm]

I lived with a gambling addict. I would happily see that go before fags and booze.

But I suppose someone who lived with an alcoholic would say the same about booze...

Gambling affects the family more than most people can ever imagine.

[ummmm]

<I couldn't afford to gamble every day.>

Nor can they Boxy....so they resort to dangerous methods. It's all on the next horse!!!

[Old_Geezer]

No, offering a service is not the same as enticing folk with below cost wares.

Gambling is clearly not a drug.

A person's family is not normally around the person when they are gambling, so the comment is correct whether you wish to point it out to the family or not. What the consequences are for those who have an excessive gambler in their family is a different matter and should, as I said, be dealt with on an individual basis: as indeed is the case with anyone with a medical problem.

[ummmm]

I agree, gambling is not a drug....the adrenaline they release each time they place a bet, is.

[joeluke]

'Should they get rid of the Bookies shops?'

Only when they also get rid of bingo halls, National Lottery/scratchcard outlets etc eh?

[boxtops]

Yes, and the hope that this time, there'll be a winner...

[ummmm]

To cover all their debts :-(

[paddywak]

Betting shops weren't legalised until I think 1961 before that every town and village had their "back street" bookies. My dad only ever bet on big races such as the National and remember him sending me down to the local runner with a list of 6d ew bets. The trouble was, especially in the big cities, that there was a lot of violence between the large bookies. legalising betting while not totally eliminating the various fiddles at least imposed some form of regulation and control over the off course betting.

[eyethenkyew]

Why not just drown us all at birth and be done with it, eh??

[Gromit]

Cannot really do that when the Government run a lottery.

[joggerjayne]

"Should they get rid of the Bookies shops?"

Nooooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!

[Maydup]

No,no,no,no,no more bans on ANYTHING please. Sick of this nanny state.

Lets live and let live for a while and see what's the worse that can happen.