The average kiwi joker loves a punt and a brew. It's pretty much a part of the kiwi male, much like jandals and stubbies ... it's just what we do. Supporting our local sports clubs is also, just what we do.

I've had the odd flutter on a sports game, I've hit the pokies a few times and of course I've bought a scratchy/400 of them but gambling isn't really for me. I don't dislike people who do and I understand that everyone's different so cool, do ya thing homie.

Would you still bet as much as you do if you weren't getting fed the odds on the All Blacks game in the same way that you get fed the important analysis that we all crave? Amongst the cricket coverage, amongst the wise words from the experts some joker fills in 5 minutes talking about the fantastic offerings of the local gambling spot. I mean, shit, it's even worse in the NRL where the two TV networks who show all the NRL content are basically teaming up with competing betting agencies (I don't really know what to call them ... we'll just roll with 'gambling spots' cos it sounds cool).

It's everywhere, you can't watch sport without being told to gamble. But you're not really 'gambling' because they (the gambling spots) have come up with these mystical new ways to bet - 'the money back if' type of scenario. I don't really know how it all works but all these gambling spots have a whole heap of money to spend on advertising, so yeah while you may have had a pretty good record and your winnings may somehow be greater than your personal gambling spend, imagine how much money they make.

Here's the thing. While I can take the moral high ground and rip in to gambling, much of grass root sport in New Zealand and throughout the world is funded by pokies. There's a pretty high chance your local sports club has applied for and received grants from the pokies. Don't quote me but you'd imagine that in every dollar plopped in to a pokie machine that the pub/club/whatever takes some of that dollar and that the rest goes towards pokie grants. The most important aspect in NZ sport is partly (if not fully) funded by gambling ... whether it's just a few cheeky spins when your having a brew, or whether it's the poor souls who return every day and are just simply addicted/have nothing else to do. In some round a bout way, NZ sports is kinda built on the misfortune of those who perhaps couldn't give rats arse about their local footy club ... let alone sport in general.

Alcohol? Well we live in a world where alcohol is celebrated. The majority of the time you're drinking to escape your week, your day to day troubles or just to relax ... the same reason many of us watch sports. So it makes sense that why you enjoy the escape that sport provides, that you partner that with another escape mechanism. While every sport is in some way partnered with a gambling spot, every sport is also partnered with some sort of alcohol and all you see when you watch whatever sport you watch is the name and logo of some beer brand.

A double whammy of two things that many would consider 'sins', or that many would not want their children to experience until they can make up their own minds, or that many would just generally label as 'negatives' of society. How often do you hear/read 'alcohol fueled' when someone has been attacked or abused etc. It's equally as oxymoronic with gambling as you'll hear about someone who has been up in a gambling joint while their children sit in the car, then you'll be told how awesomely great it will be to have punt on a first try scorer.

"And please, gamble responsibly". Uuuuuuugh.

Our country is pretty darn small in the big scheme of things, there isn't much money to throw around and the input of gambling/alcohol related sponsorship or ads in extremely important for sport in New Zealand and Australia. It just kinda sucks. There aren't many other options though, you can't ban the ads because how else will sport function? But it's kinda weird that ultimately, top athletes and those who are at the peak of their physical and mental powers .... those who understand that they need to sacrifice alcohol to go above and beyond their competition + those who have no real need to gamble and if they do it usually ends up rather negatively (Chris Sandow, Ryan Tandy) are the vehicle for the convincing of you doing what you know you shouldn't do as much as you may do.

Rhetorical question - why are cigarette ads banned, but alcohol and gambling isn't? Just think about it, make up your own mind. For me, alcohol and gambling could be argued to have equally as bad a socially and personal impact as cigarettes.

I've smoked, I've drunk and I've gambled, like many of you probably have. But we do so knowing the negatives that partaking in either activity can offer, many people simply don't. Many people have addictive personalities, many people just aren't in a position to do any differently and too many people will see something that is largely considered a negative associated with their favourite sports team and think it's all good in the hood.

Maybe one day, a fruit and vegetable brand might sponsor a high profile sports team. Maybe a sports organisation will accept less money, be a little less greedy form a super partnership with an oragnisation who benefit society in some way.

Maybe it's just a pipe dream, but it's not really that hard. Until then, be wise and just take note of what's happening. We all love our sports yet without the help of the alcohol and gambling moola, we would probably have a lot less sport, but just be aware of what's going on. If you're a small/medium sized business, go help your local sports club so they don't have to rely on the pokies or a big night on the bar because everything starts at a local grassroot level.

You've probably heard/read everything I stated above, my views aren't anything new or unique but there's not much that we can do on a large scale. It's all good to write something about how terrible all this is, but what good would it do? The only good can come from some sort of change and the only real change we can generate is on a grassroots level. Pokie funds help out sports clubs a fair amount, while bar takings are the heartbeat of many clubs and both are a part of kiwi sporting culture.

I can't make a fuss over big brands and high profile sports teams/clubs/organisations and then act like it's fine and dandy at a local club level.

Whether this change comes from within the clubs, who come up with creative ways to find funding (imagination is wonderful thing) or whether it comes from the community who step up into the void, it's possible.

Some sort of change needs to occur at the grassroots level so this dependency on support from industries that some frown upon stops. Sure enjoy the proceeds of a big night on the bar, but treat it as a bonus instead of vital to the survival of your club. When this sort of change happens, then we can look at how it all works on the big stage.