This is the second in an occasional college debate series hosted by Today's Question where we invite debate clubs to frame and guide the day's discussion. Positions taken by the debaters don't necessarily reflect their views. As always, personal attacks aren't allowed in this space. The comment thread continues to be open to all. Join in!
Public Gambling Act, 1867 does not deal with Gambling in India. Section 67 of the Information Technology Act,2000 directly/ indirectly deals with gambling. Gambling is in Union List in India. Lodha Committee recommended Betting not to be legalised. 'Gambling is a principle inherent in human nature'. If the gambling is legalised in a controlled manner in India, thousands of crores (billions) of rupees in black money involved in the illegal gambling activity currently could be made available to the legal economy. The Indian economy is already losing this precious revenue whether betting is legalised or not.
For this series, we welcome members of the University of Minnesota debate team to defend or challenge the argument for the nationwide legalization of online gambling.
Defending online gambling is Luke Plutowski, a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota and a second year Ph.D. student in the Department of Political Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He can be followed on Twitter @LukePlutowski.
Legalizing and regulating online gambling would bolster economic activity, provide billions in tax revenue, and give consumers an added degree of freedom over their pocketbooks.
Those opposed to legalization of internet gaming often overlook the fact that millions of Americans regularly engage in gambling, despite its legal status. The federal and state governments allow betting at casinos, poker rooms, racetracks, sportsbooks, and online fantasy sports websites, and actively encourage citizens to play lotteries, scratch offs, and pull tabs. The arbitrary restrictions on certain forms of online gambling do little to prevent people from placing their bets. Moreover, by prohibiting U.S. companies from providing a service that many currently receive from offshore websites, the U.S. government is not only losing out on taxing an industry worth an estimated $30 billion, but it is also forcing people to put their money into insecure, exploitable, and untaxed foreign accounts.
It is not the government's duty to regulate the moral behavior of American citizens, especially for a victimless activity like gambling. While compulsive gambling is a very serious issue that affects about 0.6% of the U.S. population, the solution to the problem should not be banning gaming for everyone, but rather strict regulation of the industry and more robust state-sponsored addiction services.
Challenging the argument is Cody Crunkilton, a 2015 graduate of the University of Minnesota majoring in Political Science and Spanish.
Clams casino dip with bacon. Legalizing Internet gambling would expand problem gambling and put individual's livelihoods as well as the economy at risk. The ease of playing from home combined with the high-speed, anonymity, and instant gratification provided by online gambling make the dangers of addiction far greater online than at brick-and-mortar casinos.
Benefits Of Legalized Gambling
The social costs of problem gambling are devastating–divorce, bankruptcy, crime, job loss, embezzlement, and suicide are just a few of the consequences which can result from a gambling addiction. These implications ripple outwards to the broader economy. One study by John Kindt, professor of Business at the University of Illinois and noted gambling expert, found that the costs associated with problem gambling outweigh the revenues by as much as six to one – more than erasing any transient increase in revenue from legalization. Moreover, legal gambling is a form of regressive taxation, with the greatest cost falling upon those who earn less than $10,000 a year.
Banning online gambling hardly impinges upon anyone's freedom, as conventional gambling remains readily available both in personal settings among friends and at state-sponsored brick-and-mortar casinos. There is no defense of legal online gambling which justifies giving predatory websites free reign to exploit the most vulnerable segments of our population.
Today's Question: Should online gambling be legalized nationwide?
The main difference between legal and illegal gambling is that legal gambling is monitored by government inspections agencies. But more people gamble because it is legal, and although the government collects taxes on jackpots, Indian casinos and lotteries, the system is highly subject to fraud.
Gambling online is illegal (federally), but this doesn't stop people from doing it. And even though the Organized Crime Section of the Department of Justice found that 'the rate of illegal gambling in those states which have some legalized form of gambling was three times as high as those states where there was not a legalized form of gambling,' we still believe that gambling is a drain to society. Here are our Top 5 reasons why.
Reasons why gambling should be illegal
1. Gambling is subject to fraud.
Online Gambling Legalized
Legalized gambling, specifically Indian gaming, is the fastest growing industry in the world, and can have a corrupting influence on state government. The governments are addicted to the revenue received from Indian gaming and lotteries. Recently there have been numerous news reports of corruption and fraud in state lotteries.
2. Availability of gambling facilities increases risk of problem gambling.
Legalized gambling makes this activity available to too many people. Governments and casinos portray this as a harmless form of entertainment. Because of the availability of legalized gambling, it is more addictive and destructive than most other addictions.
Furthermore, most citizens would not gamble illegally. Legalized gambling, therefore, entices people to gamble, who normally would not gamble at all. In states with different numbers of games, participation rates increase steadily and sharply as the number of legal types of gambling increases. In fact, legalized gambling in various states has not been a competitor to, but rather has become a stimulator of illegal gambling.
The public is assured they have the potential to win a huge jackpot. All that is required is to drive to the casino or purchase a lottery ticket. Because of the availability of gambling, many gamblers become addicted and compulsive. Interested in how to quit gambling? Read more here.
3. Problem gambling costs society billions annually.
The social costs of gambling addictions will eventually impact careers, physical and mental health issues, bankruptcy, divorce, crimes, and treatment. The gamblers will eventually rely on welfare or unemployment benefits, impacting the government, and the costs could reach several billions of dollars per year.
4. Gambling exploits the poor.
Evidence shows that legalized gambling often hurts and even destroys, especially those who are poor and disadvantaged. If gambling were illegal, the gambling venues would not be able to promote their lotteries, casinos, or other forms of betting and exploit people who are most vulnerable.
5. Gambling sets a double standard for governments.
State lotteries are argueably an effective way to raise taxes. Legalized gambling is a disturbing governmental policy. Governments should promote desirable qualities in the citizens and not seduce them to gamble in state-sponsored vice. When this occurs, the government contributes to the corruption of society.
Legalized gambling is a bad social policy. At a time when independent organizations estimate that there are at least 12 million compulsive gamblers, it does not make a lot of sense to have the state promoting gambling. State sponsorship of gambling makes it harder, for the compulsive gambler to reform.
Compulsive gambling costs
In addition to the above reasons for making gambling illegals, are the economic costs that gamblers themselves incur. The average compulsive gambler has debts exceeding $80,000. Additionally, compulsive gamblers affect the lives of family, friends, and business associates. Some of the consequences of gambling include marital disharmony, divorce, child abuse, substance abuse, and suicide attempts. Other social costs surface because of family neglect, embezzlement, theft, and involvement in organized crime.
Crossing our fingers or wishing on a star will not guarantee a win. The only guarantee is, if a person is a compulsive gambler and continues to gamble, the end result is prison, insanity, or death. Whether gambling is legal or illegal, there will always be gamblers. Wanna bet?
Reference sources: Probe [dot] org