William Hill to close 700 betting shops after fixed-odds betting clampdown

Caporegime
Joined
24 Oct 2012
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25,024
Location
Godalming
I don't believe any one should put their morals aside for the sake of taking a job, therefore I won't be sorry for anybody who loses a job in a morally questionable sector

And yes, they make an active decision to apply for the job, they make a decision to go to the interview, they make a decision to accept the job, there's plenty chance where they could ask if they really want to work there and if they don't there's nothing stopping them from working somewhere else but excuses which you seem quite happy to throw around for them

It's not ******* complicated, now is it


I bet you’re the first to pipe up about people claiming dole too :rolleyes:
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Nov 2005
Posts
12,444
Suppose they stuck to their morals, prefer them out of work and taking JSA/UC until a more gold plated sector (if one exists) recruits in their area...?

I honestly don't care

Like I said, it's not complicated, don't know why you need to keep harping and trying to force your opinion, you're not going to change my mind on not feeling sorry about some random minimum wage low skill cashiers losing their jobs at a bookies

I bet you’re the first to pipe up about people claiming dole too :rolleyes:

Actually no I'm in favour of universal basic income, so try and twist that if you like :)
 
Soldato
Joined
12 Jul 2007
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7,867
Location
Stoke/Norfolk
I wonder if the "real" reason is that they looked at Bet365 with their immense profits despite being online only and decided "Nah, bricks and mortar shops just aren't worth it" and are just using the government’s clamp down on fixed-odds betting machine as an excuse?
 
Joined
10 May 2004
Posts
12,813
Location
Sunny Stafford
Okay fellas, should we also close the following places?

- Casinos?
- Online casinos?
- Race courses?
- Dogs?
- Bingo halls?
- Anywhere with a fruit machine? (pubs, cafés, train stations, arcades)
- Anywhere that sells scratch cards?

I'm talking about instant / frequent gambling (like dog races every 5 minutes), so I wouldn't count lottery tickets as being instant / frequent, but scratch cards are.

Given the negative posts on here about bookies, what makes them any worse than the other types of gambling that I've listed? Not to say I'm a huge gambler myself though. I used to love playing on fruit machines but they went down the drain 10 years ago when the jackpot increased to £70. I think £70 was too high a jackpot and my budget wasn't getting as much gameplay.
 
Caporegime
Joined
8 Sep 2005
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29,917
Location
Norrbotten, Sweden.
Banning all physical "fruit machines" is nothing but good IMO. They just exist to empty the pockets of drunks, the terminally bored and lower wage earners. They are a gateway enabler to harder "gucci belt" styles of gambling.
 
Caporegime
Joined
18 Mar 2008
Posts
32,742
Okay fellas, should we also close the following places?

- Casinos?
- Online casinos?
- Race courses?
- Dogs?
- Bingo halls?
- Anywhere with a fruit machine? (pubs, cafés, train stations, arcades)
- Anywhere that sells scratch cards?

I'm talking about instant / frequent gambling (like dog races every 5 minutes), so I wouldn't count lottery tickets as being instant / frequent, but scratch cards are.

Given the negative posts on here about bookies, what makes them any worse than the other types of gambling that I've listed? Not to say I'm a huge gambler myself though. I used to love playing on fruit machines but they went down the drain 10 years ago when the jackpot increased to £70. I think £70 was too high a jackpot and my budget wasn't getting as much gameplay.

Nah don't ban them, just legislate them into the ground instead.
 
Soldato
Joined
5 Jul 2005
Posts
17,995
Location
Brighton
I don't believe any one should put their morals aside for the sake of taking a job, therefore I won't be sorry for anybody who loses a job in a morally questionable sector

And yes, they make an active decision to apply for the job, they make a decision to go to the interview, they make a decision to accept the job, there's plenty chance where they could ask if they really want to work there and if they don't there's nothing stopping them from working somewhere else but excuses which you seem quite happy to throw around for them

It's not ******* complicated, now is it


I mean, name a job sector that doesn't take advtantage of someone, somewhere along the line?

Fashion - From overpricing products as a lifestyle and selling them to people who can't really afford it to sweatshops on Bangladesh, Thailand etc. the whole industry is questionable from your perspective.

Food/Drink - Pubs serving alcoholics, fast food abusing animals, people addicted to food etc. To the workers themselves doing 80+ hour weeks in 40c+ kitchens.

IT - Most tech products are produced in China, India etc. which have awful rates of suicide, child labour and general abuse of staff.

Does working in any one of these sectors make you complicit in any ill-doing that may happen within each? Because if so everyone is guilty.

Actually no I'm in favour of universal basic income, so try and twist that if you like :)

As am I, but it doesn't currently exist which means that, unfortunately people need to work. Often in unnecessary jobs, sometimes in jobs that are a net deficit to society.

But if society demands those jobs are filled then you can certainly understand why people would take them, and have some empathy when they lose their job through no fault of their own.
 
Caporegime
Joined
17 Feb 2006
Posts
29,263
Location
Cornwall
I don't even feel sorry for the people losing their jobs.

Their "work" was promoting and enabling the misery of others. In other news, I don't feel sorry for hanging up on Indian scammers. Neither would I be sorry if they lost their jobs.
 
Soldato
Joined
31 May 2009
Posts
21,257
Yeah I believe drug dealers did use them for that.

Anyway I don’t think this is bad news, we don’t really need multiple betting shops on high streets I’m deprived areas.

I completely agree, this is a good news story.
Poor addicts were funding 700 william hill branches, this was not good for society.
 
Soldato
Joined
31 May 2009
Posts
21,257
I bet you'd expect some sympathy, or at least feel aggrieved if people turned round and said you personally deserved it for choosing a redundant job.

It's interesting, because you seemed very pro-consumer choice in terms of obesity. Why not gamblers? They know the risks, they know the cost...much like the obese/smokers?

Smoking is addictive too, as is food. Curse anyone working at Tesco/Asda :o



Don't limit the FOBT - Let's just tax the winnings and pay for the NHS cost :confused::D

You can’t, we used to, then all the scummers registered in channel islands to ship profits to almost zero rate, so the government took steps against the online action.
 
Soldato
Joined
30 Jan 2009
Posts
17,175
Location
Aquilonem Londinensi
Why are gambling and providers of gambling services treated any differently to crack and drug dealers?

One pays handsomely into the public purse and the other doesn't?

Betting shops are closing and EA's out there exploiting children to the same crap.

I'd be for throwing both the gambling industry and EA on the same fire tbf :p
 
Soldato
Joined
3 Sep 2008
Posts
3,401
So to the people cheering on people making minimum wage losing their jobs, I suppose you will be moaning that they are now on the dole since they are the only employer in the local area?
 
Soldato
Joined
6 Jan 2013
Posts
21,839
Location
Rollergirl
So to the people cheering on people making minimum wage losing their jobs, I suppose you will be moaning that they are now on the dole since they are the only employer in the local area?

They are not the only employer, you just made that up. Besides, you think enticing people to squander £100M annually is justified in order to keep 4,500 people on minimum wage?

Even at the highest band of minimum wage, it equates to around £1.5M. The story here isn't about 4,500 losing their jobs, it's William Hill losing £98.5M of revenue from gambling addicts... Many of whom are on minimum wage.
 
Associate
Joined
2 Jan 2007
Posts
1,976
I don't even feel sorry for the people losing their jobs.

Their "work" was promoting and enabling the misery of others. In other news, I don't feel sorry for hanging up on Indian scammers. Neither would I be sorry if they lost their jobs.

You're the person who posted the 5 year to 50k right? The person with zero motivation to move for a job and lives with their parents still?!

Must be nice having that safety net and not giving a damn.
 
Associate
Joined
2 Jan 2007
Posts
1,976
D
They are not the only employer, you just made that up. Besides, you think enticing people to squander £100M annually is justified in order to keep 4,500 people on minimum wage?

Even at the highest band of minimum wage, it equates to around £1.5M. The story here isn't about 4,500 losing their jobs, it's William Hill losing £98.5M of revenue from gambling addicts... Many of whom are on minimum wage.

Yeh, definitely not the only employer....but there isn't an abundance of work for low skilled retail staff and many will be out of work for a considerable amount of time.

Definitely agree to not feel sympathy for the William Hill bottom line, but I feel there are some despicable attitudes towards other people who are just trying to get by in this thread.
 
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