Should Gambling be banned?

Proponents of gambling have vouched for it over time, citing that the gaming industry has indeed had great stories to tell about it. According to their claims, areas with substantial casino gaming have experienced significant economic positive impact, particularly as a result of the creation of employment and an influx of revenue. However, as the internet continues to influence human activities, Casinos and other gambling platforms have started to target online audiences, which renders economic development a non-usable supporting contention. Advocates of gambling have also turned a blind eye on other deleterious effects that transpire as a result of wagering and betting such as the financial instability in families, creation of double standards, and its connection to other vices like robbery, drug use, organized crime, and assault. In response to these appalling facts, governments and societies should ban gambling in the same way that they have abolished the use of drugs because of their detrimental attributes.

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            Perhaps one of the most damaging effects of gambling is related to financial instability in households that accommodate one or more gamblers. People who start to gamble end up getting addicted to the practice eventually. When they do, they are going to need a constant flow of money to finance their gambling needs. They may even direct all their income towards betting and wagering on outcomes in sports, lotteries, and casinos at the expense of their family needs. Sometimes, gambling addicts are bound to sell items that they own in order to satisfy their thrills. It is often impossible to overlook the massive evidence that people are presented with concerning the connection between gambling and debt. Personally, I have witnessed such a case of the financial drain in my friend’s life. He is 24-years-old and has recently confessed that he has lost just over $10,000 dollars in gambling habits. When he narrated the story, he claimed that he started gambling when he was 17-years-old and that his first attempt was inspired by sports. He initially won $1000 and got excited but experienced a mix of gains and losses in his successive attempts. Recently, he lost $5000, which influenced his perspective on gambling before he stopped the practice. Clearly, my friends’ story is among many more narratives concerning the devastating effects of gambling on one’s financial income. For people with families, the effects are even more pronounced.

            While promoters of gambling are often quick to point to the economic benefits, the true line of argument is that gambling tends to set a double standard for governments when it comes to tax policing. State lotteries are debatably the most effective excuse to raise taxes and a disturbing part of government policing. State citizens expect the government to uphold and practice desirable qualities within the confines of its jurisdiction. However, this is not usually the case when governments increasingly involve themselves in lotteries and similar state-sponsored vice. In fact, it is right to say that those in leadership contribute to the corruption of the society to a degre (Harrigan & Dixon, 2010, p. 154-173). e. It does not make sense for the government to promote gambling at the expense of the ordinary citizen. Moreover, the economic benefits which the campaigners of gambling quote only apply to a very small part of the fraternity. It is clear that gamblers are victims of the harsh economic effects that are attributed to gambling. State sponsorship of gambling activities indeed makes it harder for compulsive gamblers to reform and become happy individuals among the population.

It is undeniable that Gambling is related to other vices like robbery, drug use, organized crime, and assault. Frequently, evidence pointing toward this argument has surfaced and proven certainly that gambling is a bad habit. This owes to its immediate effects of which the first is financial vitality. When gamblers engage in their frequent betting activities, the universal truth is that they are bound to suffer financial losses and incur dumbfounding debts (Currie et al., 2006, p 570-580). They are therefore compelled to use other means to supplement their financial needs. Although some gamblers resort to using legal ways of obtaining money to satisfy this deficit, many often opt for easier illegitimate ways including stealing and breaking into other people’s houses in pursuit of valuable material goods. A recent case of a man from West Virginia, who pleaded guilty to a second-degree robbery, is a perfect example of gamblers who have fallen victim to the vices of gambling. Johnson had run out of money after playing a few games at a casino. Instead of heading home, he decided to go to the bank to steal the amount which he needed in order to continue with his betting schemes. According to the Moye, (2017), the 52-year-old gave the teller a note that implied that he had a bomb. He left the bank with $5000 and headed straight back to the casino to resume his blackjack game. It was the following day when detectives arrested him, following a tip from an anonymous witness. A lot of money was found stuffed in his couch and another amount recovered from the same table where he had been playing black jack. During his trial, Johnson confessed to having had taken a few drugs before the robbery. This analogy is an ideal picture of what transpires in the lives of many gamblers. Of course, many are not caught in their heinous acts, but the number of similar court cases is a simple indicator. Other vices associated with gambling are inexhaustible. When gamblers are unable to achieve their daily wants, they turn to drugs to seek for consolation. This is followed by other secondary problems related to health, finances, and social life.             It is certain that gambling is deleterious in nature based on its short-term and long-term effects on an individual. One can know this by scrutinizing the lives of gamblers and the activities that they engage themselves with. Financial troubles are the most common problem. Although their connections to the other effects depend on intents of the gambler themselves, their impact is enough to tear apart families, friendships, and social ties. Gamblers will normally experience depressions as a result of huge debts that they cannot repay and sometimes can even choose suicide as a last resort. Moreover, other evils like robbery, assault, and onslaught may also manifest as a result of the cause-and-effect pattern of behavior. Certainly, governments and societies should ban gambling in the same way that they have abolished the use of drugs because of their detrimental attributes.

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