Town gambling worry

Yarrabah leaders fear kids playing ‘ping’

A FAR North Queensland indigenous community’s leaders have raised concerns about an increasing number of children engaging in a form of gambling on the streets.

Children from Yarrabah are being advised not to play a game called “ping” amid fears it normalises gambling among the youth of the town.

Also popular in some other indigenous communities like Palm Island, ping is played by placing a coin on the ground, then players take it in turns to try and hit it with other coins.

If it’s hit, the coin is won, but if not, the player forfeits their thrown coin.

Yarrabah Mayor Ross Andrews said problem gambling was a major concern in the community, and a Central Queensland University team had recently conducted research with some residents in relation to their addictions.

“The community doesn’t talk about it very often but we know it’s a big problem,” he said. “Gambling is a big issue, not only with kids but with parents as well.

“That’s why we’ve been trying to work with the Central Queensland University to get some data.”

Cr Andrews described the game as part of the “calender of novelties” bored children in the community played during the year. “They engage in different activities throughout the year. Some, not all, kids ride horses, then they swim in creeks, then they play footy, then it’s motorbikes, and then it’s shanghais,” he said.

“We normally work with our police through our community safety plan, and what we do is try to create opportunities for kids who are experiencing boredom.

“The council has done up an Easter holiday program.”

Yarrabah Police Station Sergeant Martin Bristow said one of the biggest issues with ping was older kids could easily take advantage of younger children playing it.

“We give them a bit of a burn and tell them they shouldn’t be playing it, that there are more appropriate things to do,” he said.

“We do see kids playing it every now and then, but I wouldn’t say it’s rampant or anything like that.

“We do speak to them and let them know gambling’s not a good thing.”