Lotteries in supermarkets?

[lurker172602]

Just saw this on the news. Lotteries may soon be able to be purchased in supermarkets. Leaving aside the rights and wrongs of gambling, what do you think?

I would think that as a society/community we would have learned the lesson of letting more and more things be sold in supermarkets. Butchers, bakeries, delis, independent petrol stations. Are we prepared to lose newsagents from our main streets as well?
Who will toss my paper onto my front lawn? What range of greeting cards will Woollies stock? How many specialist magazines will Coles have on their shelves?

[village_person]

Heard this afternoon that most lottery tickets/lotto/p'ball etc are purchased online. Looks like newsagents are heading for extinction.

I wouldn't rely on the lackwits known as politicians to throw a lifeline to newsagents without the obligatory o'seas fact-finding-mission taking place first. Just how would they handle such a situation in Brussels, Paris, Rome, London, New York, and Vienna (did I forget any choice locale?)? Our alleged politicians are frantically building a case for just such a fact-finding-mission. Aren't they brave men and women?

[lurker172602]

Yeah, take over. Look at how big supermarkets have decimated small retail business. No, I assume their licences to sell lotto couldn't be taken away, but if their customers can buy their lotto tickets at the same time as their bread and milk, and therefore their biggest earner has gone, why would they stay in business?

[lurker172602]

"Looks like newsagents are heading for extinction."

And that's a real worry in small towns. Our main streets are becoming ghost towns with the number of shops and small businesses that are closing down.

[cherry*135]

A lot of businesses (established for many years) have closed down or are for sale where I live too. Most of those that have closed were owned by older people ready to retire.. not enough business for a new person to buy it. Competition from online stores as well.

Quite a few businesses are for sale too.. people want the money and get out (if they have buildings/land for sale as well as the actual business).

I would only go to a newsagent occasionally to buy a greeting card, can buy them other places as well.

We have 3 newsagents in town and one up the road.

[ufo_investigations]

In VIC they already have lotteries in supermarkets.

[lloydslights]

Newsagent~Stationers~Tobacconist used to be the well respected hub of a local community

The only place to buy the paper, Women's Weekly, a pen,ink, blotting paper and airline writing pad, back to school stuff, commercial stationery requirements, paperbacks, greeting cards/wrap, emergency gifts and toys including a Matchbox car, fireworks, lottery ticket, a Bex powder, a stamp, pipe tobacco, cigars and cigarettes and a box of matches, flints, lighter fluid. A roll of Steamrollers/Lifesavers or a 4-piece pack of Juicy Fruit.

A store that hired staff from the local area. A place where many a schoolboy had their first job, delivering the afternoon papers.  And the owner got up at 2.30 every day of the week to enable the delivery of  the news "fresh to you".  Where the shop was opened again on Saturday afternoon for the racing papers.  Where  the churchgoers popped in to get their Sunday papers.

Technology, Wesfarmers, Woolworths and health laws have all contributed to the demise of the Newsagency.

Goodbye to another small local business owner.

DEB

[lyndal1838]

Well said Deb.

Having said that, I still frequent the Newsagent to pay for my daily papers with 2 on Sundays although these days I get my magazines on subscription.  I have had an account with this Newsagent for over 44 years.

I grew up with a father who had his morning paper home delivered and bought an afternoon paper on his way home.  When I first left home there was no home delivery where I lived so I had to go out of my way to get my daily news fix.

In spite of the internet I still like my newspapers.

I take after my grandmother...she had complete faith in lottery tickets.  Every Christmas and birthday we all received a lottery ticket from her.  I still like the occasional flutter and will buy lotto or lottery tickts when I think of it.  But if they were "in my face" at the surpemarket I would probably buy more.

It is not a problem for me but I can imagine that some people would have little control.  I can see gambling becoming more of a problem.

Our newsagent will not allow anyone to buy lotto/lottery tickets with a credit card, but will the supermarkets be as responsible?

[softail-joanie]

All the major supermarkets around here sell loto tickets, I sometimes Play the mega of friday and the classic on saturday.

Leaving aside the rights and wrongs of gambling, what do you think?

I don't have a problem with it, I'm far more upset about all the grocery stores and gas stations selling tobacco products, or as I call them (WMDs) they have a history of killing more people than any WMDs George Bush was yammaring about in Iraq.

[lloydslights]

Our newsagent will not allow anyone to buy lotto/lottery tickets with a credit card, but will the supermarkets be as responsible?

---

I think it is against the law to buy/gamble on lottery products with a credit card - as it should be.

I don't play Lotto.  But I do buy Lottery Tickets - the odds are better of winning a prize for the money outlayed.  Having said that, it's a while since a win of any sort.

7-11 stores took up selling lotto tickets a while back.  But I think they only sold megapicks - higher earners for the sellers.  They didn't cater for the casual buyer of a few games.  I can't see them standing around waiting for people to scratch the scratchies to claim a prize.  

One thing that I believe is not fair for the small individual lottery seller, is the amount of insurance to be paid for the privilege of selling.  A $20million cover which had a high premium.  I think that supermarkets being owned by only 1 entity (say, Woolies) would only need to pay for all their stores within the state with a 1-only payment to cover all stores.

DEB

[katymatey*]

Sitting in the main street of a small country town on monday. I had taken my mother for her doctor's appointment and we were having a drink before heading for home. In that small section of street were a ladies wear shop, locally owned bakery, butcher, small newsagent, and a milk bar. I like shopping that way, it is relaxed and convenient. One day all that will disappear as online shopping takes over, and big business continues to grab all. I do not shop at Coles or Safeway, and not just because they are overpriced.