The document discusses a report by The Star casino that aims to boost revenues from poker machines by targeting low-income and migrant gamblers in southwestern Sydney. The report acknowledges that some of these gamblers have low incomes but aspire to live beyond their means, believing gambling can finance their aspirations. It breaks down target groups by income, heritage, and language. Critics argue the casino's tactics are predatory and aim to exploit vulnerable people. The existence of the report increases tensions with local clubs also competing for patrons.

1. Casino Bus Map
Is Star casino targeting vulnerable community groups?
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map
Jack Zhao, Small Multiples

2. Casino buses in migrants who hope 'to
live beyond their means'
THE STAR casino has drawn up plans to lure away low-income and migrant gamblers, whom its
research acknowledges often believe playing poker machines will improve their financial status,
from Sydney's biggest registered clubs.
The Sun-Herald has obtained a copy of the casino's 24-page blueprint to boost revenues from its
1500 pokies by targeting the city's most compulsive gamblers in the catchment areas of big clubs
around Bankstown and Liverpool.
The report, Electronic Gaming Machines, Planning for 2011, breaks down groups of punters into
Target groups include “bilingual
''types'' based on income and heritage.
backgrounds”, “new wave” and “eclectic origins”.
Under the heading of opportunity in south-western Sydney, the report appears to concede some of
the gamblers it is trying to get through the door cannot afford to lose and may not fully appreciate
the consequences of playing pokies.
''While incomes are low, they aspire to live beyond their means. Gambling incidence is high, as it
offers the possibility of financing their aspirations,'' the report states.
Anti-gambling campaigner Tim Costello blasted the casino's tactic as ''immoral and predatory''.
''Imagine parallel research by the liquor industry to target alcoholics; there would be outrage. This
blows the lid on any claim to good citizenship by the casino. It is systematic in the way it is
targeting the poorest people in our society,'' he said.
The casino, which the report says takes $21.5 million a month in pokie revenue, aims to increase
visits from target areas, using a mixture of census data and private research to pinpoint prospective
gamblers.
The existence of the report will heighten tensions between the major clubs and the casino.
Bankstown Sports, which has 745 poker machines, has complained about the casino's shuttle bus,
the Star Express, which picks up metres away from the club's front door.
Punters pay $10 to be transferred to the casino but are given a $10 gambling voucher as an
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map inducement. Heath Aston,
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Last week, The Sun-Herald revealed the NSW government was considering whether inducements

3. ...I tick some of these boxes
Migrant
Bilingual
New wave
Eclectic origin
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map
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4. Punters pay $10 to be transferred to the casino but are given a $10 gambling voucher as an
inducement.
Last week, The Sun-Herald revealed the NSW government was considering whether
inducements should be allowed after a woman from the same target area in Sydney's south-west
walked into the casino to pick up a free wok and left, two days later, having lost $30,000 to one
poker machine.
Mark Condi, assistant secretary-manager at Bankstown Sports, said: ''We've known the casino
has targeted our area, particularly with buses leaving from metres away from the front door, but
we didn't know the extent of this push.
''There's no doubt we're here for the community and whatever we create [in profit] goes back into
building the community,'' Mr Condi said. ''There is also no doubt the casino exists to make
profits for its shareholders.''
The casino distanced itself from the report yesterday, saying it was prepared by an independent
market research company.
''It does not represent the opinion of The Star,'' a spokesman said.
''We are a high-end entertainment destination and
have no interest at all in targeting low-income groups
to gamble beyond their means,'' the Star spokesman
said.
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map Heath Aston,
Jack Zhao, Small Multiples December 11, 2011

5. GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map
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6. Routes and timetables
Suburb
Street address
Frequency
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map The Star Express
Jack Zhao, Small Multiples Timetable

7. Routes and timetables
(lat,lng)
Geopy
Street address + Suburb Google Maps
Geocoder
latlng
Frequency Visual
•# pick-ups
•Avg. waiting time
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map Geopy
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8. Choropleth
% of non-English speaking in Sydney suburbs
Suburb %
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map About NSW
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9. Choropleth
% of non-English speaking in Sydney suburbs
HTML
Beautiful Soup
CSV
Scraper
% population speaking:
Chinese, Korean,
Vietnamese, English
Only, Greek, Arabic
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map Beautiful Soup
Jack Zhao, Small Multiples

10. Choropleth
% of non-English speaking in Sydney suburbs
pyshp
CSV + Suburb boundaries ESRI Choropleth
from ABS Shapefiles
I/O
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map pyshp
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11. Mapbox: Tilemill
Putting everything together
Routes &
timetables
(geojson)
Choropleth
(shapefile)
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map Tilemill
Jack Zhao, Small Multiples

12. Insights
• Routes start from suburbs with high % of Chinese population
• Multiple stops in targeted suburbs
• Avoid suburbs with low % of Chinese population
• Targeting different sub-groups: Tourists vs Well-off vs Working class
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map See full maps on small.mu
Jack Zhao, Small Multiples

13. Insights
... etc
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map See full maps on small.mu
Jack Zhao, Small Multiples

14. GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map
Jack Zhao, Small Multiples

15. History and culture
Gambling House Chinatown, Henry Sugimoto
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map
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16. A social pastime
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map http://flickr.com/photos/85301506@N00/
Jack Zhao, Small Multiples

17. turned into...
This carousel can milk 72 cows at a time and only takes a few minutes to get around.
One cow can usually be milked in one rotation. The Fair Oaks Dairy have 10 of these
running all the time. They milk 30,000 cows a day which produces over 250,000 gallons
of milk a day.
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map http://www.flickr.com/photos/56685962@N00/
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18. Data Visualisation
Interaction Design
Mobile Web
Email: info@small.mu
Studio: 409/55 Holt St, Surry Hills NSW
GeoRabble – Casino Bus Map
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