Gambling Term paper

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Gambling, while it lowers taxes and creates

jobs, it also causes addicts to lose money and therefore creates a higher

crime rate.


A Quick History of Gambling.

Gambling was a popular pastime in North

America long before there was ever a United States. Playing cards and dice

were brought over by both the British and the Dutch. By the end of the

17th century, just about every countryseat in colonial America had a lottery

wheel. Cockfighting flourished thoughout the countries, especially in the

South. Bear Baiting was also a popular sport, but the Puritans banned it.(Ortiz

4)

Almost 100 years later gambling in the

West gave gambling a second life. Early church leader struck down all forms

of gambling and so in the East gambling for the most part died completely.

Far from both government controls and moral interference of reform groups

in the East, gambling became so popular in the West that Monte tables were

often setup in the middle of the town.(Donovon 13)

Organized Crime

During the Prohibition Era (1920-1933),

illegal gambling was organized into an authoritarian regional and national

system. Responsibility for the syndication of gambling is usually attributed

to Arnold Rothstein, who invented the inner-city layoff. He is also known

for master minding the "Black Sox" scandal in which the White Sox threw

the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds to assure gambling profits.

Gambling legally, once again, becomes

acceptable.

Since the 1970s, the United States has

turned full circle in its attitude toward gambling. Three hundred years

ago, the "sport", mostly in the form of lottery, was seen as a perfectly

acceptable way to raise money for public purposes.(Savage 12) Over the

past several years, slow economic growth, cuts in federal funding to states,

and growing public needs have forced many desperate state and even local

government to seek additional sources of revenue. Most states have turned

to lotteries, horse and dog racing, and, most recently, a growing number

of states have resorted to casino gambling as a way to raise money and

keep taxes low.(James B5)

Sports gambling

During the late 1980s, and early 1990s,

several states have tried to introduce sports betting, either as part of

lottery, like sports pool, or as sports bookmaking. Never the less, the

leader of the nation's sports integrity, including the National

Basketball Association (NBA), the National

Football League (NFL), and Major League Baseball (MLB), were concerned

that the states, in their desperation to raise money, might begin to tie

in sports betting with the lottery. Then the three sports teamed up to

try to put a stop to this. First, they began to put strong pressure on

state legislature not to induce sports betting. Second the sports industry

also started lobbying Congress, and as a result, several bills have been

introduced in the U.S. Congress to limit the growth of sports wagering,

either as part of the lottery or as sports bookmaking.(Savage 18)

Making Gambling Interests Heard

The state legislatures decide if gambling

will become legal in the individual states. Currently, some form of gambling

is legal in all states except Hawaii and Utah. While success is never assured,

revenue-hungry state governments are virtually always willing to give gambling

interests a hearing.

In April 1994, casino interest spent $4.2

million to convince Missouri voters they should permit slot machines in

their state. The vote failed by 1/10 of 1%, so gambling interest spent

another $11.5 million for a similar referendum in November, which passed.

In Connecticut, gambling corporations spent $4.9 billion in a four-year-long

failed effort to get the state to permit the building of a casino in economically

distressed Bridgeport.(Goddu E1)

Gambling is generally a well-regulated

business. Virtually every state that permits casino gambling or pari-mutuel

betting has a state racing or gambling commission to monitor gambling activities.

While today's gambling industry is big business run by huge corporations,

virtually every state regulated commission feels it must show it is making

gave that no underworld or syndicate figures play a role in its state gambling

activities.(Ortiz 50) The commissions also controlled other activities

such as how late casinos may stay open and whether there will be limits

on betting. Since these regulations are usually determined by state legislatures,

it is only natural that gambling companies try to influence their decisions

through lobbyists and political donations.(Siebel 19)

Opposition to Gambling

The rapid expansion of gambling across

the United States has not been well received by all Americans. The failure

of many gambling initiatives over the past few years indicates an opposition

powerful enough to either influence state legislation allowing various

forms of gambling in their state or to govern enough votes to defeat initiatives

which would do the same thing.(Siebel 27)

A Moral Issue

Many who oppose gambling consider it morally

or theologically wrong. The domestic violence and crime that might result

from compulsive gambling could

lead to the breakdown of the family and

divorce. Gambling, especially the lotteries, contribute to the attitude

that a person can get something for...

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