Why is gambling illegal in parts of the US?

[oblivionx]

Why can't I gamble if the government can gamble through the fed?

The government thru the fed is loansharking, not gambling ;p

[GreatOak]

Its entirely possible to not know you have a predilection for gambling until you're in over your head. Especially since gambling usually accompanies booze that casinos are more than happy to make available.

That's a good point. I hadnt considered that. I still dont think gambling is inherently more dangerous than most other non-violent things that lead to addiction though, which should all be legal in my opinion (drugs and the like).

[Crissi]

Probably a mix of it would take away from revenues the state gets from lotteries, and morality. Personally, I dont see the point of it being illegal since you really arnt coerced into it. As long as people are informed of the odds, and that the house wins a vast majority of the time, it should be up to the individual. I view it the same as banning alchohol because a person cant stop themselves from drinking.

I know that the few times i gamble (mainly on cruise ships when on vacation) I do it for the fun of it, not because i think I'll win anything. I also set myself a limit of how much I lose / win before i quit.

[GreatOak]

The government thru the fed is loansharking, not gambling ;p

Well they're gambling with future generations' futures.

---------- Post added 2013-01-29 at 04:13 AM ----------

I'm also curious about the effects of gambling addiction. In my mind it seems like a drug addiction without the physical aspects.

[oblivionx]

Well they're gambling with future generations' futures.

---------- Post added 2013-01-29 at 04:13 AM ----------

I'm also curious about the effects of gambling addiction. In my mind it seems like a drug addiction without the physical aspects.

I think the federal government caught the addiction a long time ago.

The problem is mostly that presidents "reign" is very short and spending lots of money seems like a great idea.

[Wells]

That's a good point. I hadnt considered that. I still dont think gambling is inherently more dangerous than most other non-violent things that lead to addiction though, which should all be legal in my opinion (drugs and the like).

Its not that its more dangerous or less dangerous. Its that its a factor that can effect a local environment negatively. Ask someone from Las Vegas how many random criminal incidents tie back to gambling in some way. A community has every right to try to control or prevent significant risk factors.

I'm also curious about the effects of gambling addiction. In my mind it seems like a drug addiction without the physical aspects.

In many ways its the same thing. Chemicals getting triggered in your brain. Gambling addiction can be just as crippling as any drug addiction.

[Mormolyce]

How else are the Native Americans going to get their land back?

In a hand of poker?

[Johnnypockets37]

It's simple... Alcohol and cigarettes ruin lives through but not limited to... Cancer, drunken car crashes, can break families apart if someones an alcoholic ect. All this money is spent on adds saying to not smoke cigarettes, and if they are so bad then why aren't they made illegal, crack's illegal and ruins lives too. The government collects immense amounts of tax money through "their" lottery's that they host. Ever see someone win power ball, and lose quarter or more of their money through government taxes. The government can't tax illegal gambling money that they do not know about, and if they can't have it no one should, that's why there have been a mass of recent arrests on illegal gambling rings. Once arrested they tax you on the money "they suspected" you earned (pretty much an imaginary number their so called experts come up with) and fine you to pay it back. On top of the fine they can charge you with money loitering, racketeering, and illegal gambling charges and you now face jail time.

to sum it up, the government doesn't want you to gamble without their knowing because you have money they can tax or keep track of.

[shimerra]

Its not that its more dangerous or less dangerous. Its that its a factor that can effect a local environment negatively. Ask someone from Las Vegas how many random criminal incidents tie back to gambling in some way. A community has every right to try to control or prevent significant risk factors.


In many ways its the same thing. Chemicals getting triggered in your brain. Gambling addiction can be just as crippling as any drug addiction.

As someone from Las Vegas, not nearly as many as involve alcohol. Matter of fact I can't remember the last time anyone did something overly crazy that couldn't be immediately stopped by casino security because of gambling and I've lived here my entire life. However my sister and her friend were attacked by some random drunk and there's tons of drunk driving here. That whole image of organized crime and gambling is still there to a very minor extent, but it's mostly movie BS.

That said they've got a pretty tight fist when it comes to gambling and regulating it.

[obdigore]

In a hand of poker?

The Native American Reservations (well, most of them) are treated as soverign nations, and so don't have to obey the no gambling laws. So they open giant casinos, get people who succumb to addiction addicted, and then end up owning their property, including their houses.

It was a real problem, especially for the elderly (who love to gamble apparently) in MN with the Mystic Lake casino. I'm sure you could find quite a few stories on it if you were interested.

[Wells]

As someone from Las Vegas, not nearly as many as involve alcohol. Matter of fact I can't remember the last time anyone did something overly crazy that couldn't be immediately stopped by casino security because of gambling and I've lived here my entire life. However my sister and her friend were attacked by some random drunk and there's tons of drunk driving here.

That said they've got a pretty tight fist when it comes to gambling and regulating it.

But even that that tight fist requires money and training and is not flawless.

[shimerra]

But even that that tight fist requires money and training and is not flawless.

Yes? My main point was that almost all of the gambling related crime actually ties back to the person being drunk. Ie. they were drunk and lost track of their money and then made an ass of themselves. There really aren't many criminal incidents that tie back to gambling now a days because in most places the criminal incident is usually the gambling itself.

Go back in time and yeah the mob was breaking your legs to get their money, that hasn't been the case for quite some time. If you wanna go down to MLK and D street then there's just crime period, gambling, drugs, and alcohol related.

[Ave07]

There should be one state with legal gambling, pot and prostitution. I shall name it "New Disneyland ".

Well Nevada does have legal gambling in Vegas and prostitution in some remote city just no pot 2/3 getting close!

[Lora]

There should be one state with legal gambling, pot and prostitution. I shall name it "New Disneyland ".

Sounds like a paradise, if controlled properly.

[melodramocracy]

Because personal responsibility is an ideal that is slowly being eradicated in this society.

What really blows my mind is that we have a slots-only casino at a fairly popular horse racing track near me. Rows of machines, but card tables are still illegal.

[obdigore]

Because personal responsibility is an ideal that is slowly being eradicated in this society.

What really blows my mind is that we have a slots-only casino at a fairly popular horse racing track near me. Rows of machines, but card tables are still illegal.

You in MN?

[melodramocracy]

There should be one state with legal gambling, pot and prostitution. I shall name it "New Disneyland ".

I'd call it 'Reasonableville"

---------- Post added 2013-01-29 at 12:46 AM ----------

You in MN?

Upstate NY. Saratoga is the racetrack in question.

[Roose]

Because some people love to like to think that they can legislate morality. They are fools.

Every time a lotto gets big people flood across state lines here to give millions of tax dollars to other states because people here are so fucking stupid that they think lottery is a sin and that we should make laws according to the bible.

Bingo is OK, but cards are the devil. Morons.

[v2prwsmb45yhuq3wj23vpjk]

Because it's something that inherently creates victims and is too hard to regulate to make sure everything is fair all the time. It's easier to ban it as a whole than to check every game.

[oxymoronic]

As someone from Las Vegas, not nearly as many as involve alcohol. Matter of fact I can't remember the last time anyone did something overly crazy that couldn't be immediately stopped by casino security because of gambling and I've lived here my entire life. However my sister and her friend were attacked by some random drunk and there's tons of drunk driving here. That whole image of organized crime and gambling is still there to a very minor extent, but it's mostly movie BS.

That said they've got a pretty tight fist when it comes to gambling and regulating it.

I got into a fight at vodoo sky lounge, was broken up quick and the bouncers were actually pretty cool. I thought they were going to beat on me or some shit but was none of that. Apparently the black fella had warrants and didn't want to press charges. He instigated the fight but I was first to swing. I'm pretty sure he was about to swing if not hes a fool for talking that much and pushing me / my girl.