Gambling Legal Consequences

Pros and Cons of Legalizing Gambling

1. Problem gambling’s harmful effect on relationships suggests that in some cases familicide involving a spouse or partner followed by suicide can occur. 13 A suicide-by-cop scenario arises when a person overwhelmed by seemingly inescapable consequences resulting from gambling fixates on a suicide plan that assures a high possibility of lethality.
2. State gambling laws outlaw games, bets, or wagers that are at least partially dependent on some element of chance. If a game or competition that gives prizes to winners is based on skill, such as a car race or a shooting competition, it is not considered gambling.

Gambling can be a fun, legal form of entertainment, but when the highs and lows of winning and losing become addictive, gaming and betting can take a serious toll on the lives of gamblers and their families. Compulsive gamblers can lose and win thousands of dollars within a matter of days, or even hours, because they are unable to stop. Gambling addictions also place a severe hardship on prison systems, public assistance programs, and legal systems. There are many consequences of gambling addictions that result in community economic costs. Some community gambling addiction dangers include: Increased rates of unemployment. In addition, gambling sites will create job opportunities as many of this joints are linked with hotels and night clubs. Therefore, legal gambling is a lucrative business that generates billions of dollars that are channeled into an economy as genuine revenues. Second, lawful gambling leads to legal behaviors from the participants.

Today, millions of both young and elderly men and women are participating in various forms of gambling. There are many people who are already addicted to gambling as a way earning a living as there are equally many who participate in gambling on a less frequent basis. The game of gambling features various types of wagering including casino dice games, style cards, betting in sports events and electronic games such as poker. However, some of these gambling games are received contrarily different in other countries in accordance with their laws and regulations. In relation to these controversies, there are unending debates as to whether gambling should be legalized or not. In case gambling is legalized, the question remains on what will be the benefits and shortcomings in the society or the economy of a country. Therefore, the paper outlines the possible pros and cons associated with legalization of gambling.

Pros of Legalizing Gambling

First, fully legalized gambling will bring economic stimulation. Permission from the authorities would steer the establishing of standard gambling spots such as casinos that will attract many gamblers including tourist who many earn foreign exchange to a country. For example, in Las Vegas, the gambling business has thrived and this has boosted the state of Nevada in terms of revenue collection through licenses and taxes. In addition, gambling sites will create job opportunities as many of this joints are linked with hotels and night clubs. Therefore, legal gambling is a lucrative business that generates billions of dollars that are channeled into an economy as genuine revenues.

Second, lawful gambling leads to legal behaviors from the participants. Since the casinos are marked as areas susceptible to countless types crimes such as fraud and robberies, making gambling illegal will activate more of these vices. According to studies on human behaviors, people are known to get involved more on prohibited activities than when they are allowed to participate since humans strive to access to what they do not have. Therefore, if gambling is legalized, it will promote lawful conduct and interactions among gambler in the casinos, hotels and clubs.

Third, legitimate gambling will provide various forms of entertainment to citizens. People will feels safe and excited to visit the casinos and other gambling sites when they operate legally. Additionally, the owners of the gambling sites will operate without the fear of breaking the law, and rather ponder on ways to improve the legal operations of their businesses. Thus, lawful gambling offers entertainments to participants as it acts as stress reducer because players in casinos will be playing with confidence and happiness.

Cons of Legalizing Gambling

As much as legalization of gambling appears to offer some benefits, still there are limitations which questions its legalization. One of the disadvantage is that financial concerns in the side of players. For example, players place huge sums of money when staking, and this is very risky in case of unfavorable outcomes. Many gamblers end up losing huge amount of cash that could be of good use elsewhere. Typically, gamblers goes to an extent of selling off some of their valuable assets in a bid to raise betting funds, which render many gamblers broke whenever they lose.

Another limitation associated with legalizing gambling is the possible increase of crime rates. Since some punters are addicted to gambling, they tend to engage in crime such as fraud and theft to raise money for gambling. Studies indicate that cities with many gambling hubs are characterized by high crime rates. Therefore, legalization of gambling will increase betting hubs, hence creating many players who would seek wagering money from any dishonest deal.

• Length: 6 pages
• Sources: 6
• Subject: Family and Marriage
• Type: Essay
• Paper: #84178636
• Related Topics: Effects Of Divorce, Borderline Personality Disorder, Effects Of Divorce On Children, Family And Medical Leave Act

Excerpt from Essay :

Gambling
The negative effects of gambling have been researched, touted, published and spewed forth from the mouths of researchers and do-gooders for decades, yet there has been an astonishing lack of research accomplished on the positive aspects of gambling influences on modern society (or even past societies for that matter). The reason behind such paucity might be that there are no positive aspects to gambling and that it leads to a plethora of problems that have negative connotations written all over them. On the other hand, it could also be that researchers have just not taken the time or made the effort to determine the positive aspects primarily because it is so easy to see the negative over the positive. This lack of effort on the researcher's part could also be that they do not wish to be seen personally commending an act that so many others find reprehensible.
Yet, gambling (or as some call it 'gaming') continues to grow and thrive in America today. A recent report determined that there are over 53 million American gamblers, that is defined by the industry as 'folks who have gone gambling more than five times in a given year' (Nealon 465). Based on the current population of the United States, 53 million is over 26% of the adult population. Great Britain has an even higher incidence of gambling with some reports stating the 71% of Britain's adult males and 67% of Britain's adult females gamble at least one time per month. What is really troublesome about these figures is highlighted by another recent study that determined that 'for every individual with a gambling problem it is estimated that somewhere between five and seventeen other individuals are adversely affected by it' (Valentine, Hughes 275).
What the study did not find was whether those same individuals who are adversely affected by the problem gambler are also positively affected when the gambler wins (assuming that he or she wins at least once in a while).
A 2006 review of gambling found that the most common problems reported by a gambler's family include the fact that he or she loses household and personal funds, gambling initiates arguments, causes anger and violence, is at the root of lies, deception and neglect of family members, negatively affects the gambler's personal relationships, leads to poor communication and a confusion of family roles and responsibilities and can lead to other destructive behaviors and addictions (Kalischuk, Nowatzki, Cardwell, Klein, and Solowoniuk 2006) while another survey found that amongst problem gamblers 'divorce and separation are common' (Orford, Wardle, Griffiths, Sproston, Erens 259).
All of the above mentioned problems are very negative when taken out of context. When one looks at them as integral parts of society, a different picture can emerge. First of all, gambling creates jobs. This is true in that the gambling industry in America now legally employees hundreds of thousands of individuals. Each of these employees pays taxes, hence revenue to the government (local, state and federal) are enhanced by income from productive employees. The economies of many local communities thrive on the taxes generated through nearby casinos and gambling institutions; without the gambling halls, places such as Mesquite, Nevada would not be the thriving communities that they are. It is not just the casinos and gambling halls that provide jobs, however. Based upon the 'destructive behaviors and addictions' found by Kalischuk et al., one could see a vibrant community of doctors, therapists, specialists, psychologists and psychiatrists whose main source of income is derived through the active treatment of those individuals with gambling problems.
It has been found that 'somewhere between five and seventeen other individuals are adversely affected' by family members who gamble, but what about the people who are helping these gamblers; aren't they positively affected by gamblers? Although a research of literature could not uncover any figures that would support the thesis, it would be interesting to determine exactly how many positively affected individuals there are as compared to negatively affected individuals.
Another source of contention would be two studies conducted by Lorenz and Yaffee. These two researchers found that '86% of spouses contemplated leaving the gambling spouse and 29% did separate from the problem gambler' (Lorenz % Yaffee 1988) and that '59% of problem gamblers considered separating from their partners and this did occur in a third' (Lorenz & Yaffee 1986). If one were to look at the Lorena and Yaffee findings in a negative manner, one would lament the fact that
so many problem gamblers consider, and leave, their spouse. Looked at in a positive manner, however, one could say that there are many divorce attorneys living in communities adjacent to cities such as Las Vegas, and that many of these attorneys make a very good living off the misfortunes of those who concentrate more on their gambling habits than on taking care of their families. One could also say that an individual who acted in such a manner, did not really deserve to be a father, mother or family member in the first place. Hence, let them gamble. If they wish to ruin their own lives, and the lives of their loved ones, that is their choice, and there will always be some other individuals that will benefit from such choices.
One could even take a hard core attitude towards the family members who are adversely affected by the gambler's actions by correctly discerning that there are no such things as adverse effects. Spouses and children who go hungry, or are without clothes or shelter due to the wasteful and destructive nature of the gambler become stronger individuals through having to live through such adversities. If they do not become stronger, then they too can become problems to society and therefore will also be a negative influence on their families and loved ones as well. This is not a negative aspect to gambling; remember there are other (more intelligent) individuals who benefit from the actions of the (not so intelligent) individuals who continue to throw their money away on games of chance.
The recent British Gambling Prevalence Survey (BGPS) revealed 'that there are a number of socio-demographic factors statistically associated with problem gambling; these include; being male, having a parent who was or is a problem gambler, being single, and having a low income (Griffiths, Wardle, Orford, Sproston, Erens 209). If this is true (at least in Great Britain) then it is further evidence that the curse of gambling addiction runs within families anyhow, so attempting to cure these individuals that are afflicted with gambling problems is a long and arduous procedure. Just because it is difficult to do, does not mean that there should be no one that takes the time and effort to do so. After all, there are livings to be made, and incomes to enhance through the travails of others. Helping problem gamblers to overcome their addictions is not a laughing matter. With nearly 26% of the adult population of the United States known to be gamblers, and the current rate of approximately 1% of these to be addicted to gambling, the figures show that even concentrating on helping that one percent means that there are over a half a million individuals who need counseling and treatment. This is a good number; it is a number that allows for a lot of professionals to make a lot of money.
Other negative aspects that have been connected to gambling include smoking, drinking and poor health. The Griffiths et al. study determined that:
(i) cigarette smokers were significantly more likely to gamble in the past year compared to non-smokers,
(ii) cigarette smokers were over three times more likely than non-smokers to be a problem gambler,
(iii) alcohol consumption as measured by the number of units drunk on the person's heaviest drinking day was not significantly associated with having gambled in the past year,
(iv) alcohol consumption as measured by the number of units drank on the person's heaviest drinking day in the past year was significantly associated with problem gambling,
(v) health status was not significantly associated with past year gambling
(vi) the prevalence rate of problem gambling among those with poor health were over three times as likely to be a problem gambler compared to those with good health (208).
This information opens a brand new ball game. Now even more professionals can be induced to assist in caring for, and treating these gamblers.

Gambling Legal Consequences Meaning

Gambling Legal Consequences Definition

Specialists who help those with drinking and smoking problems, and of course doctors, hospitals and clinics will all benefit financially from proffering assistance to those gamblers who fall into one of the five above categories. Suddenly the positive influence displayed by those who suffer from gambling addictions is becoming much clearer. The five to seventeen people who are adversely affected by the gambler's actions may be equaled to the number of people who are positively affected by those same gambler's actions. Additionally, a recent study determined that 'problem gamblers also have increased rates of attention deficit…

Gambling Legal Consequences Rules