Adolescent Simulated Gambling Via Digital

Alan Stokes’s article “RSL must back pokies reform’ is based on the discussion related to the problem of gambling and the need to reform gambling limits in order to protect gamblers from destroying themselves and their families. The article was published in the Australian Financial Review after RFL was under the banner for pokies reform (Stokes 2017). Hence, the author argues against the action of the RSL clubs as its offer related to poker machines and gambling is destroying the lives of the vulnerable people. The author’s way of  conveying RSL’s immoral action reflects ethos and pathos towards the issues of gambling for community. The critical analysis of the discussion helps to identify the strong argument raised by the author and identify any weakness in his point of argument.

Stokes (2017) opens his discussion by explaining the prevalence of Management gambling culture due to the domination of poker machines in various RSL and services club in Australia. He affirms that excessive gambling is readily accepted in these clubs and he sets the tone for the rest of the article by raising the argument that moral authority of poker machine reform is questionable. The author’s argument is indeed right because poker machine gambling has increased in Australia and regressive nature of gambling has a negative social effect on community lifestyle. It is creating space for addictive engagement (Adams and Wiles, 2017).

In the article, the author also offers a criticism of pokie-rich RSL services and their poker machine reforms. Stokes (2017) highlights the history regarding the evolution of RSL and other service clubs. RSL clubs, the non-profit entity used their funds and surpluses gained from pokies to fund community causes. This explanation of the author is a strong point of argument regarding the morality of the actions and reflects the pathos of the argument. This is because the goal of the organization is for a good cause, however they are delivering welfare and social support on the cost of gambling. Providing people access to unlimited use of poker machine is in itself a negative pursuits which can cause more harm and damage to gamblers than benefits. RSL branches should have depended on the service people, peacekeepers and volunteer medical support staffs, however they are prospering on the basis of poker machines and gamblers.

The intention and rational of the author for criticism is understood from the statement that RSL should now avail the opportunity to support Shergold reforms. This reflects and point out where the author wants his argument to go and culminate (Stokes 2017. This is a strong point of argument to correct RSL’s immoral action because Shergold reform is an effective tool to set limits on gambling and using the poker machine. The Shergold reform offers mandatory precommitment of gambling limits for each players, displaying warning signs at the clue and setting ATM withdrawal limits at the poker clubs. Apart from reducing risk to gamblers, this reforms has financial benefits for clubs too as they will not have to worry about higher tax and stricter regulation for poker machine gambling then (Donaldson et al. 2016). The tone in which the author present this points shows that he is directly recommending a pathway to improve the situation.

Although the pokies reform has benefits for clubs, however the author has considered the other side of the argument too. For instance, he points out clubs Australia report that this reform might  disrupt the monetary flow from clubs to community groups and might have an impact on social support services. However, the author is prompt to offer suggestion to reduce this risk too. Stokes (2017) indicates the role of federal government in improving the situation. However, one weak point of this discussion he did not mentioned how exactly then can do it. It could be done by means of improving the condition of those working within the club and local communities, which they support. Finding new community-friendly revenue source might also help RSL to decrease their reliance of pokies and gamblers (Stokes 2017).

From the critical analysis of the Alan Stoke’s article, the main point of Management discussion is clearly understood which is impact of RSL’s poker machines pursuits on community. This indicates that RSL clubs are engaging gamblers in poker machines in the name of social welfare. The authors support is towards poker reforms so that club revenue is not reduced and protection is given to gamblers and their families too. Therefore, in order to respect the Anzac tradition, it is necessary for RSL clubs to respons to the call of the volunteer and support them in implementing harm minimizing reform against gambling addiction.

Reference

Adams, P.J. and Wiles, J., 2017. Gambling machine annexes as enabling spaces for addictive engagement. Health & Place, 43, pp.1-7.

Donaldson, P., Rockloff, M.J., Browne, M., Sorenson, C.M., Langham, E. and Li, E., 2016. Attitudes towards gambling and gambling reform in Australia. Journal of Gambling Studies, 32(1), pp.243-259.

King, D.L., Delfabbro, P.H., Kaptsis, D. and Zwaans, T., 2014. Adolescent simulated gambling via digital Management and social media: An emerging problem. Computers in Human Behavior, 31, pp.305-313.

Stokes, A. 2017. Fight pokies misery in RSL club wars. [online] The Sydney Morning Herald. Available at: https://www.smh.com.au/comment/fight-pokies-misery-in-rsl-club-wars-20130423-2icnn.html [Accessed 6 May 2017].

Stokes, A. 2017. RSL must back pokies reform. [online] Available at: https://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/874950/rsl-seeks-pokies-reform-trial/ [Accessed 6 May 2017].