“HOW NOW, CROWN, MACAU”?

by Des Kelly “the Star of eLanka”

“Lanka has objected, they want “No Packer or Crown”
   “Gambling is illegal”, says the Govt., with a frown
    Many other Countries have the same idea now
    The latest is China, to be exact, Macau”.

Firstly, GAMBLING, in any way, shape or form is.just another stupid habit, to say the least. It has been proven many times that, without the slightest doubt, the “odds” are ALWAYS heavily stacked against the “gambler”, and why people who have worked hard and long to earn the little money they have, would want to “give it away” at a card-table or money-hungry poker machine, is something I could never understand.

If, perchance, they “come-away” with a few extra dollars in their pockets, which happens from time to “seldom-time”, it seems that this gives them the incentive to go back to their habit, give back everything they won, plus more. Another “addiction”, unfortunately, but still, a very strong one, indeed.

Then, we have those who are termed “high-rollers”.

These people are, in the main, extremely wealthy Asians & others who have made their money in various ways, nefarious activities, mostly, & have little else to do but be “drawn-in” to Casinos and other gambling dens to indulge in minimum “bets” of three or four thousand dollars, sometimes rising into gambling sprees.of a.couple or three hundred.million dollars (according to the latest 4 Corners programme on A.B.C.T.V.) . Most of this money is gambled “on credit” , because, from China, for example, the Government there, only permits a maximum of 60.000 dollars to be individually  taken out of the Country at any one time. Imagine that! !. When I left Ceylon to migrate to Australia, in 1962 I was only permitted to take out £75! , to start my new life in Australia. These  “High-Rollers” are suitably “wooed-in” , promised any bloody thing they want,  while they are “high-rolling”, then advised to “borrow” more money until finally, they become “low-rollers” & believe it or not, dear reader, I met one of these gentlemen, standing at a bridge over the Yarra River in Melbourne, who told me that he had lost everything, his money, his wife, in China, his house & property, in fact, he now owed the Casino (no prizes for guessing which one), some money for his final meal, there, and he was so dejected he wanted to jump into the river below him. I was’nt in the mood for a chat so I simply asked him “Why don’t you jump in”?. He looked at me incredulously and said”I can’t swim”!. Not much hope for gamblers, is there? .

To get back to my original story, I am very surprised that James Packer was not fully aware of the situation at Macau. To have his representatives go there in order to “invite” their big-time gamblers to come to his casino in Melbourne, when he MUST have been aware of the fact that gambling IS ILLEGAL in China, was indeed a “mistake”, a big one, simply because China does not muck  around with their “laws”. Now, these “Packer-People” are still there, under arrest and being questioned like ordinary criminals in “cages”, when, all they did was to try and talk some gamblers there to “try their luck” in Australia.. Our Minister for Foreign ffairs, bless her soul, has told us that these unfortunate persons “are being looked after” even though they are questioned while seated in a steel chair with a steel band holding them in, like so many “budgies” in a silver cage. In Australia, budgies are treated better than suspected “human junket-folk” in China, but to be fair to them, James, that is their law over in their Country  and we should abide by them.

I am certain that if some Chinese “junket-folk” are ever questioned here in Australia,they would love it,  our cells and jails here are favourably compared with 3 Star Hotels, in other Countries and,  as such, even “dinkum Aussie  criminals” re-commit crime in order to go back home to their cells where they are REALLY well looked-after.

Finally, gamblers all, take my tip.I am willing to bet my house on it.(oops),You are going to lose your money sooner or later. I am not in the habit of saying “I told you so”.