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Thoughts about legalizing casinos

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by AwesomGaytheist, Feb 2, 2014.

  1. AwesomGaytheist

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    In most states, the only form of state-sanctioned gambling available is the state lottery. Most of these states have, for some reason, banned casinos from being built, though Indian casinos are legal, since those are technically on an Indian Reservation, and is not US soil and therefore not subjected to US and State laws. That turns into a disadvantage for the player, as since said casinos are not subject to US gaming regulations, you aren't guaranteed the odds you'd get in, say, Las Vegas.

    I don't think I've heard one good argument against casinos, as they're good cash cows for the government, they create jobs, and encourage tourism. Yet many states have written into their constitutions that casinos are forever forbidden. 58% of California voters in 1984 voted yes on Proposition 37, which stated, "The Legislature is...authorized the establishment of the California State Lottery," and in its other section, "The Legislature has no power to authorize, and shall prohibit casinos of the type currently operating in Nevada and New Jersey."

    Would you support having casinos in your state?

    EDIT: 19 US states have a casino that's not on Indian land. The other 31 make American casinos illegal, but most of them have at least one Indian casino.
     
    #1 AwesomGaytheist, Feb 2, 2014
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2014
  2. Hexagon

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    Casinos are illegal????

    Wow. Obviously not the same country, but wow.
     
  3. Foster

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    We have them where I live. I'm all for them, since they provide jobs and help our economy. Sure, some people get addicted to gambling, but people also get addicted to alcohol, and we still sell that.
     
  4. BookDragon

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    The usual argument I hear against it is that people are damned morons and will gamble themselves into oblivion which tends to work out badly for a lot of people...

    It comes with the same problems for me that I think a lot of 'addictive' activites come with. Since I work with children I see a lot of them who get for example, free school dinners, if their parents earn under a certain amount. Now what I would hate to see is someone who earns OVER that amount but they can't send their child to school with a decent lunch because they gambled away their paycheck. I see this a lot with parents who spend most of their money on themselves, buying things like cigarettes and booze (in excessive amounts you understand).

    There seems to be this idea that anyone who gambles is either a genius or an idiot, and that if you tend to lose, you fit the latter category regardless of how sensible you actually are.
     
  5. Jwis

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    This - while I rarely visit the casinos around me, they are probably a boost to the local economies. I have no statistical data to back this up so it's all just conjecture. I'm sure there are plenty of studies done - but finding a non biased one might be difficult.

    While I play Mega Millions or Powerball on occasion I don't get how people can throw their money away at these places. Each to his own I guess.
     
  6. elel

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    They're not really illegal in every state. It's illegal here in Georgia. It sucks, because we lose money to Alabama, Mississippi, and other southern states. Of course though, god forbid we have some devilish activity like gambling. Hell, there are still counties that don't want to sell alcohol on Sunday.
     
  7. An Gentleman

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    Legalize them. Why not?
    If people blow their money on gambling, that's their problem.
     
  8. apostrophied

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    Well, they're pretty dumb and tend to attract pretty trashy people, but like alcohol, they are not inherently bad when used in moderation.

    I've never heard of them being illegal, in my city, the place is a major attraction lol.
     
  9. Argentwing

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    They're only illegal thanks to a hokey, antiquated, dogmatic aversion to gambling. Yes it's harmful when people get addicted/ unwise to try to make money that way, but when done responsibly, it's harmless if not beneficial as the OP says.

    If I were emperor of the world, I'd legalize it and make sure it's well-regulated in terms of fairness/payout of the games. :slight_smile:
     
  10. Necromancer

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    I have a marked distaste for gambling, but harm it not, do what ye will, I suppose.
     
  11. KWDBM

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    I saw this thread title and did a double-take. "Wait... since when are casinos illegal?!" ... And then I read, and I thought, and... huh.

    I live in a relatively small town; There are currently 4 casinos within 20-minute driving distance of my home. I actually had to really *think* to realize that those casinos are indeed on Indian reservations (I swear I'm like surrounded by reservations!).

    I really don't understand why they'd be illegal, except some waaaaay out-of-date hatred of gambling. Looking at how well the casinos around here do, I find it hard to believe that no one wants in on some of that! I've been to Vegas and I've played at one of the casinos here, tho I'm not really a gambler at all. I don't see the big deal, why casinos should still be illegal... There are hundreds of other addictive activities that are perfectly legal, after all.
     
  12. AwesomGaytheist

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    I grew up an hour north of Detroit, and there are three casinos in the Motor City, however most people my age go across the river to Windsor, Ontario, and Ceasars Windsor makes so much money off 19-20 year old American college kids who want to drink and gamble legally that just hop the border into Canada where the drinking age is 19.

    There's also an Indian casino in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, conveniently located near the campus of Central Michigan University, where you only have to be 18 to gamble. I think you can probably guess where most of their revenue comes from. The sad thing is that particular casino has a daycare and arcade for the kids.