Last week’s Melbourne Cup was another victory for Bart Cummings and, as usual, the opposite for Ashley Robinson – I backed Zipping and got zippo.

It certainly is an amazing race and for the first time for as long as I can remember, I wasn’t at either Corbould Park or a pub somewhere trying to find a winner and the bottom of a beer glass, and usually far more successful with the latter.

I didn’t go gambling last week because, quite honestly, I needed to work and I am feeling a little bit like a jockey at the moment – a bit short.

But judging by the turnout around the country at tracks, pubs, clubs and betting shops, there is absolutely no recession.

I have been reading comments during the past few weeks about pokies and gambling in general. On one hand, things are tough, but on the other, gambling figures are skyrocketing.

There are also plenty of people willing to tip one certainty: when the pensioners get their bonus in December as Kevin carves up the surplus, gaming figures will go up accordingly. I guess it is just the culture we have grown into; some countries have Quakers while others have drinkers and punters.

I think back to my first crack at punting, I was 10 and it was a horse called Red Handed, which won the Melbourne Cup in 1967. This was probably an omen bet as I was always into stuff I wasn’t supposed to be, and funnily enough I can count on one hand the winners I have picked in the Cup in the next 41 years.

I am a traditionally bad punter but I like having a flutter on most things, which doesn’t make it right but it seems a lot of Australian agree, going by the millions wagered on this year’s Cup and the amount of businesses closed on the day – at a time when things are supposed to be tough.

Add that to the record amount spent on pokies in the local area alone and there will be plenty of calls for more regulation of gambling.

I don’t disagree with them, but it should be kept in perspective.

Yes, I am in the industry and I agree there needs to be measures in place, but I think history will show the tougher times get, the more people seem to gamble and drink, which is sad but true.

I suppose it is a kind of indoctrination to control the masses, or why would governments allow TABs around the country to keep adding more ways to bet, more meetings and easier access to throw away the hard-earned cash.

But if it is indoctrination and it is agreed it needs to be more regulated, what difference will it make to our economic situation?

I was sent this email the other day and thought it summed up where we are: “I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.” Thomas Jefferson, 1802.

How spot on is that?

If we can regulate gambling, what about our monetary system? If it isn’t the biggest con in the world, I’m bloody Santa Clause. If playing the stock market isn’t another form of gambling, I don’t know what is.

A couple of months ago, experts were saying bank interest would be 10% by Christmas. Now it will more likely be five. They’re either as good a punter as me, or it is a con.

Thomas Jefferson came up with that 206 years ago. Someone should have asked him who would win the Melbourne Cup while they were at it.