Big W accused of promoting gambling to kids

#1162 for broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 6 December 2015

Australian retailer Big W has been accused of promoting gambling to children after a line of chocolates wrapped to resemble casino “poker chips” appeared in stores this week.

South Australian director of Family Voice, David d’Lima, said he sent a telephone complaint to the store, and received a return phone call informing him the store had withdrawn the chips from shelves and had referred the matter to its national leadership.

Mr d’Lima said there was widespread community concern about the growing incidence of problem gambling in Australia, and the chocolate “poker chips” effectively sent children the message that gambling was harmless fun, “without giving them any idea of the heartbreak that can result” from gambling addiction.

It may be a small matter, but surely anything we can do to protect children from exposure to the grooming strategies of the gambling industry has to be, in my opinion, a win.

I’m Rod Benson for the NSW Council of Churches.