Close Up and Personal

[bennythedip2]

Postman has just dropped the mail and a couple of brown envelopes, bin those look to official, and a white envelope, looks like a bank statement, best we don't look at that yet, I'd like to stay in a good mood for a while, oh and what have we here , a nice glossy magazine from Ladbrokes, "Close Up'. Well i don't have time to read this just yet but a quick flick through stops me at the page 'Online Casino"
Now this is going to wind me up, although i have always liked a bet on the horses and poker, with the odd dog bet the Casino has never interested me. Roulette, Slot machines are what made 'Las Vegas' rich and famous , and sent more customers home skint and giddy
So now as i listen to the news about the new gaming laws, and how the government are saying ,"the new laws will help bring down crime and keep kids off the streets" !! Has this country's government gone completely 'GahGah' ??
You don't even need to be a member of a Casino, if you want to go to a Casino anytime day or night, you can just walk in. Casino's these days in this country have changed so much in the last few years, they are more like a nightclub, with television lounges ,big restaurant's, large New York styled bars and to be fair they can be a good night out for anyone. However when you look closely there are wall to wall slot machines hundreds of them, the blackjack tables and roulette are to the back of the casino and the card room is almost hidden away in a room behind these.
So now why are High Street bookmakers extending their opening hour's ? More racing ? No !! If you go into any betting shop these days, they have found the new laws allow them to put in machines (slot's and roulette),not just one but half-a-dozen, and having talked to employees of the major bookmaking firms, you realise why, the turnover is now 75% of their take.

So ultimately these same bookmakers with their online poker sites are now pushing hard their online Casino's, their targets are the young with surplus spending money.
You don't have to go out now whenever you want a bet, the advertising and marketing people have done a good job, when you read an article in 'Close Up' by Ladbrokescasino.com's marketing director, talking about VIP lounge , and how one player thanked them for the win which payed of his mortgage, you start to realise people and gamblers really are gullible or they are being brainwashed
My final thought's are , have the government got it right ? Will all this unlimited push to allow the young and vulnerable access to casino's with a credit card or cash card, really get crime of the streets ?
As i chuckle to myself i realise it's not funny, muggings knifings shooting, and for what and by who...??? bennythedip2