Jobless bets

AUSTRALIA: Some people will bet on anything — even unemployment figures. The Australian betting firm Centrebet is allowing customers to place bets on how many people will be jobless in June, when official figures are made public.

Centrebet has been criticized by both politicians and religious leaders. “Taking bets and making money out of the misfortune of the unemployed is as distasteful as it gets,” Queensland’s state treasurer Andrew Fraser told the BBC.

Major Brad Halse, a communications director of the Salvation Army, agrees. “At the very least, this is extremely distasteful,” Halse says. “If they have to frame a gambling market, it is only appropriate that they try and be sensitive to the very real tragedy of the many instances of people losing their jobs and struggling,” he commented.

"At the very least, this is extremely distasteful," says Brad Halse of the Salvation Army.

Centrebet’s media head, Neil Evans, describes the situation as “somewhat socially sensitive”, but does not agree that taking bets on unemployment is distasteful. According to Evans, it provides betters with more variety. Betting on the latest jobless figures, he says, gives “punters, well away from the usual betting mediums of sport and racing, a chance to play expert in a field that’s becoming more and more popular”.

Local people have mixed feelings about Centrebet’s position. “Maybe if Centrebet staff were being made redundant they might change their minds about making light of something so serious,” says Rebecca Galton. “Still, I might place a bet myself. I could do with some extra money right now,” Galton added.