[Edition 44] MELBOURNE, Tuesday: Online gambling has claimed its first victim after a child was left in a virtual carpark while her parents gambled. “I only clicked into www.gonegambling.com briefly,” her mother claimed. “The flashing lights and poor returns must have sucked me in.”

[Edition 44] MELBOURNE, Tuesday: Online gambling has claimed its first victim after a child was left in a virtual carpark while her parents gambled. “I only clicked into www.gonegambling.com briefly,” her mother claimed. “The flashing lights and poor returns must have sucked me in.”

The father, who was also gambling at the time, was very defensive about his role in the death.

“Hey what are you talking to me for, aren’t you just meant to blame the mother in these situations.”

The Federal Government has condemned the death and promised to ensure that new laws are enacted to prevent such a death ever happening again.

“Children neglected because of gambling should die in real car parks of huge glitzy casinos, not in virtual carparks,” said Prime Minister Mr John Howard.

Earlier this year, the Federal Government boldly banned online gambling in Australia in a way that allows users easy and fully legal access to most online gambling sites.

State governments and community organisations have responded quickly to the death. The peak counselling group, G-Line, called for more money from online gambling to come their way in order to release on-line pamphlets telling parents of the dangers of killing their children.

Meanwhile, Mr Tony Abott has insisted that it was the child’s own fault that she died, adding that she probably “smoked or drank or took drugs.”

However, Mr Abott denied any responsibility in making the laws that led to the death. “Let’s not play the blame game,” he chuckled.