What is so bad about Internet gambling?

I have never gambled in my life, except for occasionally purchasing lottery tickets. But people do gamble; there are major industries that sustain cities and states. Gambling is a major contributor to our economy so what's the big deal about Internet gambling? Why shouldn't people do with their money what they want?

Yes, at some point they may be dependent on our tax money but does anyone think that living in the street and on welfare is such a glamorous goal?

Here is an idea. Tax the revenue of all gambling activities and put them in a special fund to help the ones who lost everything while gambling and are now jobless and homeless.

I am quite certain that this would end up with a net positive cash flow.

What am I missing?

quite a few state laws? well, nothing at all.

On the one hand, I believe in the right of people to choose their own poison, and if gambling floats their boat, it's none of my business.

On the other hand... gambling does exploit people's desperation, it's an addictive behavior (gambing makes chemical changes in the brain similar to cocaine), and it seems to breed corruption wherever it goes. A lot of people get caught up in it and it has been know to destroy lives.

On my libertarian-liberal days I'm in favor of gambling; on my socialist-nanny-state days I'm not. :shrug:

people who need gambling will find their outlets. Just as it was with alcohol, and we've learned our lessons. At least the recent law was not a Constitutional amendment.

Wouldn't it be better for people to behave like that in the safety of their own homes instead of venturing into back rooms of seedy places, and then be robbed on their way back home?

Or is this, like the Medicare prescription drugs, another way to reward the fat contributors from Las Vegas and Atlantic City, not to mention Indian run casinos? Is Abramoff finally getting results?

As "Deep Throat" told Woodward - follow the money. I doubt that concerns for the welfare of the people motivated that law. From a Republican Congress? Since when? Or do they think that when people cannot gamble online they will attend church, instead?

I find this very fishy.

Why not use them to instead help people who are genuinely out of luck, like those who are jobless and homeless due to lack of health coverage....

to be used to help them. This will be like forcing the gamblers to put money aside for their rainy days. But as with Social Security, the government will use it and will put IOUs in the box :evilfrown:

When people who act responsibly and play by the rules won't get anything for their tax dollars?


If I get stuck with a life threatening disease, should I roll the dice and flush all my savings at a casino, so I can be sure to be taken care of?

The powers that be have not yet figured out how to get their piece of the pie.. They cloak it in "morality" issues, but it's really about the money..

Once they figure out a way to make money on it, they will be in favor of it :)

All this will do is serve to criminalize otherwise law-abiding citizens. Prohibition of the socalled vices simply doesnt work.

Drug war? total failure.
alcohol probition? total failure.
gambling laws? total failure.

Are there some people who can't control themselves in any of the above activities? certainly. But rather than legislate against it to "help" those few who have a problem, why not legislate free treatment? It woudl certainly be a lot cheaper than the cost of enforcement, incarceration of valuable members of society and the destruction of families that ensue from criminalization.

Of course that argument has no weight with fundamentalists who see things only in black/white terms.

while the usa has vegas,indian casnio`s,and bookies who are not happy they can`t cash in on the internet. it`s always follow the money and i`m sure the k street people have been passing the money out

Apparently, people are racking up huge debts on credit cards as a means to gamble. I suspect quite a few can't pay back these whopping gambling debts and the credit card companies are left holding the bag. Yes indeed, always follow the money.