Is Gambling More of a Help or Hindrance to Society? Your Responses
by www.SixWise.com
In the SixWise.com article, Gambling's
Stratospheric Rise in the U.S. What are the Real Risks?,
we concluded by asking you to tell us your thoughts on the
positives versus negatives of gambling.
In a nation where so many people gamble, we would not have
betted that only ONE person would (sort-of) have positive
comments about gambling while every other response made no
bones about it that gambling is far more of a hindrance.
Below is just a sampling of those who said it is a hindrance
- with a range of interesting reasons why - along with the
one somewhat supportive comment about gambling (like Where's
Waldo?, can you find it?)
Gambling hurts the individual, the community and the nation.
Gambling is a hindrance to society. I live, work and relax
in Las Vegas. The educational system is broke and hiring teachers
from out of the country but the casinos had a record year.
Global corporations and a few wealthy individuals own the
casinos and while they donate a small percentage of their
yearly booty to charities - they could care less what happens
to the population as long as they continue to gamble. Gambling
is more than a stepping stone to financial ruin, it is a major
contributor to a self-centered society focused only on money.
[Gambling is] bad news for everyone. I worked in the industry
for 25 years and cannot come up with one redeeming factor.
I am also the inventor of two casino games, one popular the
other not.
-- Richard Lofink, Ivins, Utah
Gambling on the scale it is now is a hindrance to society.
A waste of money and money is energy. Excess leads to lack.
Moderation in all things is WISE.
The increase in gambling and other less savory pursuits point
to one thing of prime importance for the future of society.
Fiat currency drops in value until it is worthless paper.
We are witnessing now what has come about during the economic/moral
decay and collapse of other societies. We must change our
economic system to a gold-based one as we had before. Products
cost more since the Dollar is worth less!
-- Bart Mather, Rossford, OH
I believe the people that can least afford it are the ones
most often compulsive gamblers. I feel the money does not
go for what it is intended to go for, or if it does what has
been budgeted for projects is pulled back and then just the
revenues from the gambling are used so there is no increase
in funds---for schools etc. The fact that it is so easy to
get to a casino makes it possible for those that maybe would
not have been able to travel to Las Vegas or where ever to
stay at home and get more and more in debt right here. For
some it is an entertainment, many more are borderline compulsive,
and since it is so positively looked upon there is less restraint.
I think it is a hindrance to society because it exploits
those who can least afford it.
-- Sheboygan Falls, WI
Gambling is immoral, especially when governed by our elected
authorities.
Gambling is just another un-Godly activity that our society
is being suckered into. It is being accepted by the government
and it is a disgrace to our country. How hard will our country
have to fall before we wake up!?
-- Janel, USA (of course)
A community needs high moral standards to properly educate
its children, not money collected from lottery revenues. I
find it sad that money, profit and greed rule supreme in this
country. Gambling ruins lives, families and communities.
Gambling could be compared to multi level marketing schemes
- only those at the top win.
I am opposed to legalized gambling. I believe that it is
aimed at our youth more and more and that it will become an
addiction for many more people in the future.
I think it is an expensive waste of money and time. For some
people it also leads to addiction. I cannot find anything
redeeming in it except it makes the owners a lot of money.
Gambling is fun when you can control your greed. There will
always be people that let things get out of hand. Example:
the wild life hunters that want to have sport but also put
deer meat etc. on the table, but they are frowned down on
for owning a gun by law makers, just because there is a problem
with guns in the city schools, when gun safes should be used.
-- Mary Peterson
Gambling is a blight on society. Gambling is a waste on society.
Instead of gambling, why not just flush your money down the
toilet?
I agree with Hawaii. I think legalized gambling undermines
our most vulnerable, passes on confusing and unhealthy messages
to our children, and causes more social ills than it is worth.
I agree with the Honolulu police department. Another thing
that is just as bad are the credit card companies, really
just another version of gambling. People are ruining their
lives daily and the availability of credit cards is fueling
this destruction. President Bush has now signed into law a
bill that will now make it harder for people in trouble to
declare bankruptcy but the big corporations are still coming
out ahead. No one is passing legislation in favor of protecting
people against these predators.
-- Michelle Price Louisville, KY