Gambling on the Internet - Research Paper Example

? Gambling On The Internet Jason Stuk Baker College Gambling on the Internet Gambling on the internet is a disadvantageous activity. The research focuses on the ills of addictive gambling. The research discusses the results of a gambling addict who frequents casinos on a regular basis, Bruce Roberts’ gambling debacle. Bruce Roberts is currently the executive director of the California Council on Problem Gambling. The Time Magazine author, Jeffrey Ressner, correctly writes on the topic of addictive gambling through the use of readers appeal and logic appeal and elements to reduce addictive gambling. In the article “When Gambling Becomes Obsessive”, Jeffrey Ressner emphasizes the dangers of addictive gambling. The article focuses on the gambling life of Bruce Roberts. The historical occasion states that Bruce Roberts initially did not love gambling. However, as time goes by, Roberts finds the persuasive temptation of rolling a dice or the touching of several cards on the casino table. The historical part states that Roberts, as an addictive gambler would normally wager bets in the Casino on a regular basis. Historically, issue focuses on gambling in several communities within several states. In fact, an estimated 250 casinos are firmly entrenched in several locations within an estimated 20 states with the American atmosphere. In the same manner, internet gambling has grown around the world (Spapens, 2008). The author, Bruce Ressner, writes for the prestigious and time-tested Time Magazine of the United States. The author focuses on the issue of addictive gambling because the topic touches the hearts and minds of several gambling addicts as well as gambling enthusiasts with the United States. The author aims to bring home the point that there is an unhappy ending whenever a person, especially Bruce Roberts, has metamorphosed from a person who never bet a single dime starting in 1989, to a person with a penchant for gambling in casinos in the United States. The author uses facts to zero in on the point that the topic of gambling affects many people within the United States alone. The facts include Roberts’ losing lots of money in the casino, callers asking Roberts for help to curb their losing of an average of $32,000 a year to gambling, the role Roberts as current executive director of the California Council on Problem Gambling where he counsels 3,400 calls from gamblers to help them curb their gambling vice. The writer establishes credibility when writing on the topic of gambling by presenting the life of Roberts, a real person who drains away lots of his hard-earned money on gambling. By presenting a real person’s life, the author brings fairness to the story. By focusing on the life of a real gambler and presenting a picture of the gambler, himself, the author brings a certain authority to the issue of gambling. By writing for Time Magazine, the author brings a sense of authority to the picture. The picture of casino as the typical scenes in a casino hall brings authority and persuasion to the picture. The reader of the Time Magazine article is generally swayed to accept the author’s theory that gambling is not a good activity to indulge in addictive fashion. The author focuses on showing the dangers of addictive gambling. The author states that occasional gambling is okay. However, addictive gambling should not be emulated. The reader will get the persuasive idea that one will end up the same way that Roberts ended, a sordid, unhappy man who is addicted to gambling. The author persuades the readers not to repeat what Roberts has done during his lifetime. Likewise, the author puts the blame of gambling addictiveness on the gambler. The casinos are not forcing the gamblers to wager their hard earned cash. The casinos are only inviting the gamblers to play cards and other gambling games. The casinos cannot do anything if the gamblers will not visit the casinos to wager their money on a jackpot machine, a dice, or poker. The author focuses on the American audience. Specifically, the author focuses on the gamblers. The author warns the gamblers to quit their addictive activity while they still have a shirt on their back (money). The author states that there is no value to be learned in gambling away one’s hard-earned money. The author focuses on informing the readers of Time Magazine. The readers will be persuaded to avoid the gambling activity before they even start to play. The author states that the people should be warned to avoid the slot machines of the casinos. The slot machines are like one armed bandits ready to take away the gamblers cash any time of the day or night. The entire family will be persuaded by author Jeffrey Ressner’s effective ethos rhetorical appeal by presenting Roberts’ success story. Roberts was vividly described as an unhappy person during his addictive gambling days. Likewise, the author presented the logic rhetorical appeal by stating that 32,000 gamblers have called Roberts to share his advice on how to curb their addictive gambling activities. Consequently, the families will avoid entering the casino joints. The content of the message is to beware of the casino’s trap. The people are warned to avoid the casinos. The people are warned not to believe in the casinos’ advertising. In addition, the author’s message is loud and clear “For a man who hasn't bet a nickel since 1989, Bruce Roberts spends a lot of time in casinos. He's rarely there alone, however. He usually has an escort walk him through--the better to ensure that he doesn't succumb to the sweet swish of the cards or the signature rattle of the dice. A onetime compulsive gambler, Roberts, 62, weathered his years of wagering better than many. He never lost his wife or his home--although he has refinanced the house nine times. ‘Cards and Vegas were the two biggest things in my life,’ he says. ‘I'm a helluva poker player, but I have one serious flaw: I can't get my ass off the chair.’” (Ressner, Time Magazine, 1) The principal line of the message is to ensure that the readers are convinced to stay away from the casinos. The author appeals to the readers by quoting the exact and sincere regretful words of Roberts after realizing that Roberts was deep within the gambling web of the casino joints. The message of the author is conveyed in serious point blank manner. The author presents Roberts story by stating Roberts answer to the interviewer’s questions. The author uses the news story style in presenting the dangers of addictive gambling. The author presents his point of view through the news format genre. The author’s deep and sincere thoughts are published in the Time Magazine. The Time Magazine is a respected news piece. Many people respect and favor the news reports in Time Magazine. The author uses hyperbole in order to awaken the readers of Time Magazine to the seriousness of the addictive gambling activities. The showing that Roberts lost lots of money, the author brings the message that all gamblers will generally lose in the gambling game. This is not true 100 percent of the time. Any person can visit a casino and personally witness one or more persons win a card game. The casino visitor can see that one or more persons win the big or small game. Another casino visitor can easily see one person win the jackpot in the slot machines. The author’s article was well done. By presenting Roberts’ story (ethos rhetorical appeal) dismal addictive gambling story and the 32,000 gamblers’ calls for help to curb their addictive gambling habit (logos rhetorical appeal), the author writes for the purpose of discouraging the people from even thinking of visiting the casino joints. The entire family will be persuaded by author Jeffrey Ressner’s effective ethos rhetorical appeal by presenting Roberts’ success story. Roberts was vividly described as an unhappy person during his addictive gambling days. Likewise, the author presented the logic rhetorical appeal by stating that 32,000 gamblers have called Roberts to share his advice on how to curb their addictive gambling activities. Consequently, the families will avoid entering the casino joints. The author uses the formal tone to bring the timely message of immediately stopping addictive gambling. The Time Magazine medium indicates the article is written in formal tone. Time Magazine articles are the news form enhances the content of the article. The content adds credibility to the Time Magazine article. The Time Magazine readers are easily convinced by the author’s message to stop addictive gambling now, not tomorrow or next week. The Time Magazine news format puts seriousness and truthfulness in the author’s message to the readers. The news format indicates that the author is not joking around. The news format makes the readers cower in fear from the disadvantages of entering a casino to gamble one’s hard earned money away. Clearly the article succeeds in fulfilling the author’s intentions. The Time Magazine news format will persuade the readers to shy away from the casino joints. The news format will discourage the future gambling addicts from even thinking of visiting any casino to learn the tricks of the gambling pastime. By presenting the life of Bruce, the author vividly brings validity to the message that gambling should not be tried. The article clearly shows that gambling culture is prevalent in the United States. Most of the states have legalized gambling. Consequently, the casino joints have enticed the people to visit and gamble their money away in just one night of straight card game or the roll of a dice. The author insists that addictive gambling culture should be eliminated. The author’s inclusion of the life of Bruce clearly brings the message to the Time Magazine article that gambling is a vice that should not be tried. Gambling in the internet will not generate more advantages compared to the disadvantages. The ills of addictive gambling are enough to prevent one from playing any of the casino games, especially online casino games. The quoting of Bruce’s words in the article contributes to the quality of writing and persuasive efforts of the author. The results of Bruce Roberts’ gambling debacle persuade the Time Magazine readers to avoid starting the addictive gambling habit. Indeed, the author was very effective in writing through the use of ethos rhetorical appeal where article persuades the readers to accept the author’s views as well as the logos rhetorical appeal by showing 32,000 callers asking Roberts’ help to curb their addictive gambling activities. References Ressner, J. When Gambling Becomes Obsessive., retrieved July 20, 2011, from Spapens, A. (2008). Crime, Addition and Regulation of Gambling. New York: Brill Press. Read More