Argumentative Essay On Gambling

Gambling is becoming increasingly popular in today’s society. Major casinos and online gambling sites attract

Have you ever participated in a paid fantasy sports league? If so, you have participated in a form of gambling. The definition of gambling is “to play games for a chance of money”, which by playing in a paid fantasy sports league people are doing so. Today I will argue the topic of considering fantasy sports a form of gambling, and that teenagers should not partake in paid leagues if gambling remains illegal for anyone under 21. One out of every five sports fan has participated in a paid fantasy sports league in the last five years. So therefore one in five sports fans has participated in a form of gambling even though some deny it. Paid fantasy sports leagues are a form of gambling therefore they should diminish.

Social Although gambling industry can bring more employment opportunities and offer diversified leisure activities for the public, it could also lead harms. ‘Problem Gambling’ is the main disadvantage that gambling produced, it may result in an increasing number of personal bankruptcy, suicide, crime and child welfare may be ignored and so on (Williams, Rehm & Stevens, 2011). Hence, the Australian Gaming Council formulated the Responsible Gaming regulation to conduct the gambling industry in Australia and reduce the existing and potential harms.

Back in 1996, the explosion of online casino gambling swept the world. The United States had been a large part of this, and many gamblers had turned to online casinos for all of their gaming. For many years, these casinos continued to be played unabated. Unfortunately, back in 2006, legislation was passed that made it slightly difficult for online casinos to continue to operate. This legislation, sneaked in by piggyback through the Safe Port Act, would be named the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, and it became a thorn in the side of the online gambler, the online casino, and all payment processors there in.

But given that the federal government has already categorized fantasy sports as a contest which requires skill, I believe that states should explore adding new regulation to define legal parameters for these companies to operate in. (Forbes) According to Adam Silver, the NBA Commissioner, legalizing and regulating sports gambling could hamper the nearly $400 billion wagered illegally on sports each year. With such a large black market around the world it would seem beneficial for states to have some regulation and control over the gambling activities. On March 7th 2016, the state of Virginia enacted the first ever fantasy sport act in an effort to add much needed oversight to a gray area of the gaming market. The act did not classify fantasy sports as gambling, however, it requires fantasy companies to pay a registration fee of $50,000 in the state of Virginia in order to pay for the governmental supervision and regulation. Moreover, it will require fantasy sports users to verify that they are at least 18 years old and will prevent company insiders from participating in public competitions and sharing private information.(Forbes

have brought up the subject,”Should Online Fantasy Sports Be Considered Gambling or Not”? Many people believe Fantasy Sports should be illegal or banned. As of March 8, 2016, playing daily fantasy sports for money was considered illegal in 11 states. These states have stated that the online games have broken their gambling laws. In at least 20 other states, regulators and lawmakers were either reviewing the legality issue or working on legislation to clarify the law. Many of these bills, with support from the industry, would allow daily fantasy sports to continue. In the rest of the country, the sites have either been declared legal, or there was no pending

Approximately 80% of Americans gamble at least once per year, in the amount of approximately $500 billion in 2013 (Aziz). Gambling has long held a tradition in America and is now becoming a ubiquitous industry. In recent years, as the gambling industry evolves with technological advancements, the growth of online sports wagering has created widespread concerns beyond those of traditional casino gambling. Legality of real sports betting, which includes betting on actual teams, players, or scores, is determined at the state level, with only four states (Delaware, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon) deciding it is legal to gamble on real life sports. However, online daily

     Gambling addiction is an issue found in numerous areas where gambling is legal. People who are addicted to gambling, also know as problem gamblers, face many health risks including depression, suicidal thoughts, loss of sleep, loss of appetite, migraine and anxiety in addition to marriage breakdown, problems at work and bankruptcy (9). About 2 percent of adults are thought to be problem gamblers (1). In today’s society this costly addiction is not often considered to be a common problem among those who gamble. Only a small amount of states in the U.S. give enough attention toward this rising problem of people that are sometimes even willing to commit crimes just to aid their addiction. In the past our

Obviously, there are glaring inconsistencies with legalized gambling from state to state. Sports gambling and Internet poker are very popular among American gamblers in every state, but both remain almost entirely illegal in the U.S. There are some other gambling black markets, but sports gambling and online poker are the two primary underground markets of truly significant size. Millions of Americans skirt the law by gambling with companies based in different countries where that activity is legal. This is a lucrative market as approximately $30 billion was gambled by Americans with foreign Internet gambling sites from 2003 to 2010. Consequently, the Department of Justice and the FBI have shut down several high profile offshore gambling companies. Nonetheless, this type of activity remains readily available for American consumers as there are 85 countries with sanctioned Internet gambling.

Legalizing gambling has been a controversy for some time now, especially on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. They still have not come to an agreement, but have created some laws pertaining to the situation. I personally do not agree with legalizing gambling because I do believe it encourages alcohol, drug use, and increase the risk of mental illnesses.

In conclusion, online gambling was once a growing concern from when it came it fruition. However, due to an increasing number of issues dealing with mental health and crime, online gambling has been kept in check through legislation. Each country had its own method of dealing with the issues of online gambling, but have been able to successfully prevent it from causing problems to increase.

Gambling in the words of McLean and Yoder (2005) "means risking something of value, usually money, on an event that has an unknown outcome." In the opinion of the authors, gambling can assume various forms including but not in any way limited to "casino games, betting on sporting events, playing bingo, buying raffle tickets, and playing lotteries" (McLean and Yoder, 2005). Over time, gambling has grown in popularity with the same being legalized in many jurisdictions across the world. However, those opposed to gambling and the legalization of the same continue to cite various reasons in an attempt to backup their assertions. One of the reasons cited by those opposed to gambling according to McLean and Yoder (2005) is that the costs of gambling easily outweigh the benefits associated with the same. This argument advances the idea that the interests of the society override those of an individual. Thus the

Brown, Stuart J. "The Surge in Online Gambling on College Campuses." New Directions for Student Services 2006.113 (2006): 53-61. Print. Retrieved February 25, 2014. http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=453a0229-2511-46c3-9499-6a133a2aa892%40sessionmgr198&vid=5&hid=112

In today’s world, there are many different ways to gamble such as casinos, state lotteries, pull tabs, bingo, sporting events, and the internet, just to name a few. Although the popularity of this activity remains strong in America, there are individuals and groups that continue to scrutinize and attack this industry. People strongly opposed to gambling would like to see it policed by the federal government or outlawed completely; they are wrong. There are several positive aspects of gambling aside from providing entertainment and a social interaction. Gambling is not immoral or unethical. Gambling provides economic benefits including jobs and reduced government assistance. The gaming industry supports research and education related to gambling addiction. The percentage of lower income people who gamble is small; the majorities of people who gamble are those with higher incomes and can afford to do so. Lastly, gambling has been a part of history and different cultures dating back to ancient times. In addition, the percentages of those in favor of gambling are significantly higher than those that are opposed. To restrict or prohibit gambling is wrong and insulting to adults in today’s world. It is an individual’s right to decide if he or she should gamble based on his or her own personal beliefs.

Gambling is a heavily debated topic globally as each country has distinct ideas, rules, and regulations regarding its role in their government and economy. In some countries, gambling is outlawed, whereas in others it is regulated by the government. The significance of socially responsible gambling and its relationship to government policy is based on the premise that gambling addiction, like any addiction, is equal for all people no matter their race, ethnicity, or cultural upbringing. There are many proven preventative measures that can be taken in order to