Friday, March 28, 2008

Online Lotto Sales

I have to wonder at the logic of providing online sales of lotto tickets when we apparently have such a gambling problem in this country. Apparently there will be 'safeguards' such as each person can operate one account and to set-up an account they must register on-line, the person is then required to set their own 'weekly and monthly' spend limits 'that can not be exceeded' and if you constantly spend to the 'maximum' you will be contacted and offered 'problem gambling' support.

Seriously this is another example of 'nanny state' madness. Think about this:
1. If you have a gambling problem just keep buying tickets anonymously at a retailer
2. Everyone knows that it is not difficult to set-up and operate multiple on-line accounts in different names even if they require ID like a driver licence it wouldn't be difficult to sign up under multiple family members.
3. Why would you want the 'nanny' government to know how much you spend on Lotto?
4. If you spend up to your maximum limit and get barred just go off to a retailer and pay cash
5. It hasn't been said but you have to assume that on-line Lotto would require you to purchase via credit card. How bad is that? Using a credit card to gamble!

This sounds like an experiment in 'social engineering' where we are looking at a future of all Lotto purchases going on-line and the government telling you what you can and can not spend. Not only that but they are also cutting out the 'middle man' which is all those little retailers who invested in Lotto serving equipment and probably derive a good income from Lotto sales.

I occasionally buy a Lotto ticket with the milk and there is no way I am signing up to a data-mining website so that Helen can tell me off for buying too many 'Mega Power Dips'. How stupid!

Read More

No comments: