End to Legalized Gambling - Essay Example

You’re Name Professor Course 29 April 2006 The Government Should Put an End to Legalized Gambling There are a number of reasons why legalized gambling should be prevented from continuing. In any form of gambling, be it internet, betting, casinos, card games, they all can place adversity onto an individual if it gets out of hand. Internet gambling, at one time was dubbed the substitute for “crack cocaine” of gambling (Hammer 2001). The reason this is stated is that there is such easy access to gambling on the internet and as a whole; society’s greatest fear is the effect this is having on the youth. Card game betting can be bad, as it has a tendency to have a person continue lying money out on the table; it is hard for them to stop as well. Betting and Casino’s are very similar as there is a wide variety to choose from and people have a tendency to get carried away, regardless of their financial stature. They’ll take out loans or sell their own belongings to continue gambling in these areas (Hammer 2001). On the flip side of this coin, there are those who say that there are just as many reasons to keep it legalized, as those opposed to it can find to make it illegal. Gambling has been a historic activity among mankind, since history first began to be documented. A reason many state it should not be banned is the fact that it is a legal and safe way for many people to have fun at taking risks that they would normally never participate in (McGowan 1994, pg.3). Yet, at the same time this is stated, those opposed to it claim that simply because it is legalized now does not mean that it is considered by the majority of the population as being the most favorable of recreational activities. There are some cultures that hold gambling to be one of the most seductive and deadly of sins within the human race and they have strict laws prohibiting this activity. It is claimed that this is because they are aware of how addictive the actions of gambling can become, which lead to many hardships on a family. There are a good percentage of American-Muslims who state the United States would do well to follow their religious view point on gambling. Their law is explicit in it’s condemnation of the whole concept of gambling, as the following quote shows, “Satan seeks to sow dissension and hatred among you by means of wine and the lots…therefore abstain from them” (McGowan 1994, pg.4). Muslims, as well as many other people of a religious following, feel gambling is an activity that creates animosity among people. Furthermore, simply because this view comes from various religious denominations, does not mean a statistical number of people around the globe, don’t view the concept of gambling in the exact same sense. Also, one of the main and most pertinent reasons for many in society wanting its prohibition is the fact that, although it is now legal, it is an addictive behavior. This type of addiction can lead to many quantifiable reasons towards the deterioration within a family. An addiction to gambling progresses rapidly, and what happens is that what was once done simply for fun, becomes a severe compulsive action, leading to financial problems, increasing debt, depression, anxiety, and many other adverse social and emotional problems for the individual. Problem gamblers tend to put more money on the table, the more frequently that they gamble. This gets to the point where it becomes excessive and where they were once possibly playing the lottery only once a month, they begin engaging in gambling activities like scratch tickets, gaming machines, track betting, card games, and the more prominent casinos; until they are up to their eyeballs in extreme debt (Clarke 2003). This goes to show that because gambling can become such a compulsive problem, it is indeed something that needs to be banned to prevent further economic problems for families and individuals from escalating to an extreme where no logical way of maintaining financial stability and security in their life can be found. Though there are public figures, specialists, citizens, and other’s who would like to claim that gambling has grown to a significant problem in the country, others refute this view point by stating that gambling is simply a past time and promotes only minute adversities in life, much like anything else that occurs, if anything negative at all. In an article by Vatz & Weinberg (2003), it is pointed out that there is no crucial evidence that proves gambling is an impulsive disease or an astounding problem within the generalized population. Although there are people who participate in gambling in excessive means, it is stated that this can not be labeled in a way that would exacerbate it as a disease or a severe economic problem among the public. Furthermore, those who claim gambling to be related to a psychological problem can be refuted by proof from medical authorities that it is not nor has it been classified as such a distinction. There is no credible evidence, nor any “diagnostic criteria” to prove that the engagement of gambling leads to disorders that can be categorized into pathological diseases of the mind or in such a way that leads a person to believe they have a neurochemical imbalance, or neurophysiological problem that has not been diagnosed (Vatz & Weinberg 2003). In other words, gambling can only be viewed as a voluntary activity, that if found to lead to financial stress can not correlate with a medical problem, as those opposed to this activity would like to make people believe. Those in favor of keeping gambling legal claim that any adversity that arises from gambling can only be pinned on individuals own misjudgments, and not any compulsive disorder. In this regard, and with the substantial evidence, it has to be clear that gambling is not an illness like many perceive it to be. Therefore, there stands no reason to ban this extracurricular activity from the social life of adults. Nevertheless, there are too many cases of people who have symptoms of compulsive and impulsive, relative to gambling that can prove otherwise to these statements. In order to prove that there are people who suffer with gambling addictions or who have suffered, there are a number of cases that can be brought into this research to refute the above statements that gambling is not a medical or psychological illness. Take for example, Robert Terry who use to be Chicago’s chief Police reporter. He borrowed large sums of money from the commissioner himself, to other department heads so that he could go and gamble, though none of them where aware of this as he used other excuses to gain loans from them (Vatz & Weinberg 2003). This ultimately led to the man being suspended from his job, because of his uncontrollable desire to gamble. Another like case lies with the producer of, “ABC’s Monday night Football series”. Chet Forte, committed fraud, and lied on his end of year federal income tax forms just so he could have the extra finances to feed his gambling habit. He was not in control of his actions, even though he was well aware what he was doing was wrong, it is pointed out that he has stated in the past he could not help himself (Vatz & Weinberg 2003). And to provide just one more case of evidence in rebuttal of what those for gambling have stated, the quarter back for the Baltimore Colts also suffered with a gambling addiction. His excessive wagering and betting costed him hundreds of thousands of dollars and he was diagnosed by a psychiatrist as a “pathological gambler” (Vatz & Weinberg 2003). Now with irrefutable evidence such as this, it is hard to understand how someone can claim that gambling is not a medical problem for people. It affects their way of life, their interactions with one another, financial stability, marriage, parenting abilities; the list goes on and on. The reasons to ban gambling are countless and undeniable. The fact is, those who enjoy this activity simply don’t want to admit that there is indeed a growing problem. The reason is once it becomes illegal, any actions involved with it will be considered a crime, and people that like to gamble are aware of this. Therefore, regardless of there being signs all around that it creates severe adversities for people, those who gamble, and have no problems as yet, would rather it remain legal, regardless of what its outcome is for the other percentage of the population. The point is, they want it to remain legalized for purely selfish reasons, and ignorant excuses are being used to keep it instated in society. However, it is also pointed out that some states rely more heavily on gambling as a source of revenue than they do tourism attractions. This is because they are aware that gambling draws in more people and creates more money than any theme park does within one year, throughout the country (Vatz & Weinberg 2003). This is another reason it is stated it needs to be kept legal, because for some states, without the gambling attractions they could suffer in an economic fashion. Regardless of the evidence that details gambling can turn into something besides an extracurricular activity, gambling fans, and even some researchers on the subject continue to search for reasons as to why it does not deserve the negativity it is confronted with and again, gives reasons why it should be kept legal. Researchers, who study the concept of gambling on a more positive side, question why the idea of making gambling illegal should come up at all. It is stated that, where once gambling casinos, and other facets of gambling where once minute, they are now booming and a major part of recreation in the American lifestyle, especially on vacations, and business travels (Epstein 1998). Because of the rapid growth of the gambling industry it now has a foothold in the factors of socioeconomic growth, and a role in politics all around the globe. Furthermore, there have been benefits into bring gambling casino’s onto Indian Reservations as well. This is another reason that many feel it should stay legalized. Where Native Americans once struggled economically, gambling has brought in huge profits for their people (Epstein 1998). Many Native Americans make a pronounced point of how this one concept has pulled them from poverty and discrimination, into a place above feeling inferior about themselves and their culture. It is argued that by delegalizing an activity that has such an impact on a society, it will lead to various adversities in many cities and states throughout the world. Not only would public domain be affected by this, but the Internet would be as well. With the Internet being a huge place for casinos to launch a web site, even more revenue is being created by having access to gambling through the World Wide Web. Internet gambling goes beyond regulating laws as well, and it becomes easily accessible for those who have an interest in gambling, yet do not want to actually go into a casino (Epstein 1998). It would seem there is no avoiding the gaming life, and some owners of gambling casinos compared this trend of interest to those who have avid fascination with the stocks on Wall Street. Steve Schlinger, co founder of the World Sports Exchange states the following about online gambling, I think we are the future of gambling. We offer players an exciting, fully interactive game that is quite similar to the way Wall Street works. Players on WSE, essentially act like traders, buying and selling over the course of the game. (Epstein 1998). The main point that those in favor of gambling make, besides their other ideas to keep it legalized is the fact that if the whole idea of gambling is basically like trading and selling stock on Wall Street, then how can that stay legal and gambling not. They both involve losing money and gaining money. Both of these also can put hardship on individuals if they lose, so the majority of people feel that one can not be condemned without the other one being done so as well. Nevertheless, none of these opposing statements against delegalizing gambling change the fact that it is still a serious condition for many, many people. Where some people are gaining in profit, and growing and expanding, others are losing everything they own, their marriages are falling apart, violence is escalating, and they simply have lost control over their whole life. This is not something that is wholly beneficial or positive to society, regardless of the bonuses that can be found in allowing it to continue. To conclude, and to give a final refutable reason as to why gambling should not be legal, this research again brings up the fact of the disorders that are instigated by simply being involved with gambling. While some can control the impulse to over gamble, others can not. The financial and mental instability that occurs because of this type of addiction is uncanny to say the least. Furthermore, with internet gambling there is too much of a risk of the youth getting sucked into a gambling addiction as well. If gambling can not be stopped period, then there are ways to control it. The various control efforts that could be set up could possibly persuade people from continuing to gamble (Epstein 1998). If this happens then gambling casinos and the other facets of gambling would definitely go out of business, and for many they think this would be for the best. It is better to do away with an activity that concretes upon stress and worry, which leads to medical problems, than allowing it to continue to exist and destroy individuals’ lives and families as well. Works Cited Clarke, David. “Gambling and the Trait of Addiction in a Sample of New Zealand University Students.” New Zealand Journal of Psychology 32, (2003): 1 Epstein, Jeffrey. “Odds Favor More Gambling.” The Furturist 32. (1998): 1 Hammer, Ryan. “Does Internet Gambling Strengthen the US Economy? Don’t Bet on it.” Federal Communications Law Journal 54, (2001): 1 McGowan, Richard. State Lotteries and Legalized Gambling: Painless Revenue or Painful Mirage? Quorum Books, 1994. Vatz, Lee & Weinberg, S. “Refuting the Myths of Compulsive Gambling.” Society for the Advancement of Education, 122 (1993): 1 Read More