Gambling - General

By Jerry Price - Aug 21, 2006 - 1

“Americans’ perceptions about moral values in the United States are more negative today than at any other time in the last five years. Over three-quarters of Americans (77%) hold negative views about the nation’s moral climate, up from 70% last year and 65% in 2002. That leaves only 7% of Americans holding positive views, and another 12% holding mixed views … These results come from Gallup’s annual Values and Beliefs survey, updated May 8-11. The survey includes two questions about the state of moral values in the country, which have been asked since 2002: one a rating of current conditions and the other an outlook measure. These are combined into a morality index.

“Those ‘positive’ about morality in the United States consider moral values to be excellent or good and believe they are staying the same or getting better.

“Those ‘negative’ about moral values believe they are only fair or poor and are either staying the same or getting worse.

“Those with ‘mixed’ views fall into one of two categories: either believing conditions are excellent or good but worsening, or saying conditions are only fair or poor, but improving.

“Of the two index components, Americans have grown especially negative in their outlook on moral values. Asked whether the state of moral values is getting better or getting worse, 81% say things are getting worse. This is up slightly from 77% in 2004 and 2005, and from 67% in 2002 and 2003. The number of optimists has dropped by more than half, from 24% in 2002 and 2003 to 11% today.”

Excerpted from Lynda Saad, Morality Ratings the Worst in Five Years (Gallup Poll), May 25, 2006 [Subscription reuired]

“Legalizing gambling does not reduce illegal gambling. Legalized gambling may even increase illegal gambling because untaxed illegal operators may offer better odds, bigger payoffs and loans that legal operations cannot. Patrons in gambling states feel gambling is generally legal and they are less averse to gambling in unlicensed establishments. Law enforcement in gambling states see illegal gambling as a state revenue issue rather than a criminal activity, and may be less motivated to investigate.”

Getting Started with Basic Gambling Facts (National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling) [Accessed March 2, 2006]

Gambling creates economic costs for society and taxpayers, including non-users.

  • Crime (Aggravated assault, rape, robbery, larceny, burglary, auto theft, embezzlement, fraud.)
  • Business and Employment Costs (Lost productivity, lost work time, unemployment-related employer costs.)
  • Bankruptcy
  • Suicide
  • Illness (Stress-related, cardiovascular, anxiety, depression, cognitive disorders.)
  • Social Service Costs (Treatment, unemployment & other social services.)
  • Direct Regulatory Costs
  • Family Costs (Divorce, separation, child abuse, child neglect, domestic violence.)

Adapted from Earl L. Grinols, The Economics of Gambling: Summary Points (National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling) [Accessed March 2, 2006]

  • “Gambling creates no new wealth. It redistributes wealth on an inequitable basis. It enriches the few and impoverishes the many. Gambling is non-productive. It performs no useful or necessary services. Gambling is parasitic.
  • Gambling depresses legitimate business, siphoning off money from the regular business community. It dislocates the purchasing dollar. Business leaders are reluctant to invest money in areas that sustain large gambling enterprises because of the ensuing bad debts, delinquent time payments, and bankruptcy. Gambling disrupts the normal checks and balances of a well-ordered community. Gambling restricts business.
  • Gambling increases welfare costs. Gambling weakens the stability of family life. Gambling lowers the standard of living and necessitates a larger welfare burden, thus raising taxes. Increased revenue from gambling means larger claims for welfare.
  • Gambling increases crime. Gambling always attracts racketeers and mobsters. Gambling increases the number of murders, assaults, robberies, crimes of violence of all kinds, etc. The underworld thrives on gambling. Police cost increase.
  • Gambling corrupts government. Gamblers always seek to increase their offers and to buy protection. Gamblers are soul-less in attempting to corrupt police, judges and legislators. Instead of the state controlling legalized gambling, the professional gamblers often end up in control of the state.
  • Gambling victimizes the poor. Gambling leads to embezzlement, bribes, extortion, treason, suicide, and corruption of college and professional athletes. Crime often results from victims trying to recoup gambling losses. Those who can least afford it usually gamble the most. Gambling exploits the weaknesses of individuals. Gambling and poverty go hand in hand. Inner-city residents are hurt the most by expanded gambling.
  • Gambling is a sophisticated form of legalized stealing. In winning, one obtains the wages that another person has earned without giving anything in exchange. The larger the winnings, the more someone else had to lose.
  • Gambling produces the wrong attitudes toward work. It promotes the idea that a person can live by his wits and luck without making any contribution to society.
  • Gambling contradicts social responsibilities. Mature adults try to minimize the risks in life. Gambling seeks to maximize risks. Responsible societies attempt to build security into life, gambling undermines security. Gambling deliberately creates artificial and unnecessary risks. Gambling militates against the highest values of human welfare. History shows that a major increase in gambling has signified the decline of a nation.
  • Gambling revenues violate all the sound theories of taxation. Gambling revenue is regressive, inequitable, variable and unpredictable. To make public service dependent upon erratic gambling ‘taxes’ is irresponsible. Public service should be soundly financed.
  • As a source of state revenue, gambling has a consistent record of failure. Proponents promise huge government income from legalized gambling, but only a trickle of money results. Even in Nevada, only about one-third of the state’s budget comes from gambling. Lotteries have been discredited as a source of school funds.
  • Gambling is socially disintegrating, politically corrupt and morally dangerous. Gambling is bad business, bad politics and bad morals. The State cannot gamble itself rich.”

Excerpted from Gambling Statistics (Gambling with the Good Life) [Accessed March 2, 2006]

Further Learning

Learn more about: Family, Addictions, Gambling

1 comments (post your own) feed

1 On Jan 16th, 2007, at 10:53am, Brenda wrote:

On gambling issues, how do you view people who work for the gambling casinos?

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