"I would like to be a good guy and a good gambler."

[Universe Prince]

Excerpted from "The GOP's Bad Bet: The online gambling ban could put the Democrats in the winner's circle" by Radley Balko:

In the wee hours of the last night of the last session of Congress, Majority Leader Bill Frist attached a ban on Internet gambling to a port security bill. It was a dubious maneuver, which not only prevented any real floor debate over the ban, but also attached an intrusive, unnecessary, big government measure to a bill that addressed important national security concerns. This meant that any senator who held the position that what Americans do with their own money in their own homes on their own time is none of the government's business couldn't vote against the gambling ban, lest they risk being smacked about the head with the "soft on national security" cudgel. If Frist's move was underhanded, it was also wholly appropriate, given the way the GOP has handled this issue. The debate—to the extent that there has actually been one—has been marred by misdirection, red herrings, and a certain obliviousness among the bill's supporters to, well, reality. [...] Poker professionals—three of whom came to D.C. earlier this year to speak against the ban—argue that the game isn't really gambling at all. At the very least, it's not a particularly addictive form of wagering. Of course, some (like me) would argue that the nature of poker is beside the broader point: preventing people from playing games of chance simply isn't a legitimate function of the federal government. At the very least, there are surely items on the DOJ's agenda that ought to be of higher priority—fighting terrorism, for example. Reps. Leach and Goodlatte, along with Sens. Frist and John Kyl, frequently used the words "untaxed" and "unregulated" when describing the estimated $12 billion Americans wager each year online. But they're "untaxed" and "unregulated" because Congress made online gambling illegal in the first place, pushing gaming sites offshore. In fact, the major gaming sites are begging to be both taxed and regulated. They'd much rather set up shop in the U.S., pay U.S. taxes, and be subject to U.S. laws and regulations. They'd rather carry the seal of legitimacy that comes with being recognized and incorporated on U.S. soil. Were online gambling legalized and regulated, we'd likely see trusted names like Harrah's, Bally, and MGM get into the business. [...] Some say the GOP pushed this ban to light a fire under family values voters. Others say their intent was more nefarious—to protect established gambling interests from online competitors. There may be some truth in both of those explanations, though I think the main motivation for the bill was simply the moral aversion to gambling held by its chief sponsors—Goodlatte, Kyl, and Leach — and a desire to impose that moral rectitude on the rest of the country. What does seem clear is that none of the people behind this bill were interested in thoughtful debate, any serious consideration of the bill's implications or consequences, or the principle of a limited, "leave us alone" federal government. Polls show that Americans are overwhelmingly opposed to a federal ban on Internet gambling. Industry experts estimate that some 15-20 million Americans wager online each year. The overwhelming majority do so responsibly. This largely apolitical group could well get politically motivated the first time they try to log on, and are told their small-stakes poker game has now been outlawed by the Republican leadership in Congress. If this was a political move, there's a pretty good chance it'll backfire, and cost the GOP more votes than it wins them.

Whole article at Reason Online.

[Xavier_Onassis]

Casino gambling sucks and ruins lives.

It contributes nothing, and is ess fun than masturbation.

Casinos should be banned everywhere.

People are free to play with commodities, stocks, bonds and butterfly splits. Who needs gambling anyway?

Trying to beat a slot machine is like picking a fight with Mike Tyson.

People should be able to gamble with friends, but not with pros at casino games that are rigged against them.

The more casinos are allowed to suck the wealth out of the public, the more they will corrupt the system. Look at Mississippi.

[Amianthus]

but not with pros at casino games that are rigged against them.

Rigging games is against the law everywhere and casinos are monitored carefully for this activity.

If you instead meant to say that the odds favor the house, then that would be accurate. Saying the games are rigged is accurate - ie, a lie.

[_JS]

Indeed, if you look at the probability and statistics for most games, it really doesn't help for casinos to cheat. Why risk it? Their major investment is the upfront and continuing expense on non-gambling items like good food, shows, anti-cheating systems, compliance costs, and fixed costs. Otherwise they want odds that slightly favor the house, but with enough winning that players are motivated to gamble.

My primary opposition is to state lotteries, which is why I voted against the one in my state. It bothers me that the state is in the business of marketing and promoting a gambling industry. Moreover, it unfairly targets those on lower income. If the state needs more money then have the chutzpah to raise a tax, not create a regressive, indirect one.

[Universe Prince]

Casino gambling sucks and ruins lives.

It contributes nothing, and is ess fun than masturbation.

Casinos should be banned everywhere.

You're comparing gambling to masturbation. Wow. How "intellectual". Anyway, I'm glad to see you are honest about your desire to impose your will on everyone else. Most folks try to pussyfoot around with nonsense about children or protecting society from materialism or some such. Not you. You've decided casinos are no fun and bad for people, and therefore no one else should ever be allowed the possibility of choosing or deciding for themselves if they might have some fun at a casino. Your idea would be right at home with the "religious right". Congratulations.

(For those following along at home, that was sarcasm.)

[Lanya]

I agree with XO.   Can't help it.  I was brought up in an anti-gambling family.  It isn't fun to me.  I've seen the people I know are poor lining up at gas stations and buying lotto ticket after lotto ticket.
Now, another gambling vote is coming up.  Horrible for poor people.   They're tying it to education---again.  People will be suckers---again. 
You want to gamble?  Have a poker game with friends.  Or bet on the outcome of a football game, with friends. 

[Xavier_Onassis]

I don't give a rat's ass what you think of my opinion, UP. I hate casinos, they have brought huge grief and hardship to a member of my family and I would bgurn evry damned one of the goddamn things to the ground if I could get away with it. The riverboats, I think I would sink. Ofr peerhaps I would burn a few and then siink them while they burn. I would not mind too much if Donald Trump and his fellow thieves and swindlers were aboard when they went down either.

I am not opposed to gambling. I am opposed to the casino industry. When I say the "games" are rigged, that is exactly what I mean: the slots are rigged to keep a huge amount more than they pay out. Instead of Bingo, they have Keno, which is a form of the game that favors the casinos. If I play poker with my buddies and we all bet a total of $100, the total amount among us after we are through playing is still $100. THAT is an unrigged game. The casino games are rigged, because the casinos keeps a lot more than is won by players.
 
Whatever 'fun' morons have trying to 'beat the house' is not a fraction of the amount of harm these f*cking thieves do to them. I am against casinos for the same reason I am against larceny, burglary and felonious assault.

I am all for people who like to gamble playing games with one another. But casinos suck and should be banned everywhere forever amen

[Universe Prince]

I was brought up in an anti-gambling family.  It isn't fun to me.

So don't gamble. Don't like a show on television, then don't watch it. Don't like some singer/musician's product, don't buy it. Don't like bars, then don't go to them. That you don't enjoy something is not a good reason to want to ban it.

I've seen the people I know are poor lining up at gas stations and buying lotto ticket after lotto ticket.
Now, another gambling vote is coming up.  Horrible for poor people.   They're tying it to education---again.  People will be suckers---again.

That has little to do with casinos. I'm also opposed to state run gambling... oops, sorry... opposed to state run gaming (insert eye roll expressing annoyance here). But it is one of the least offensive things governments do because at least buying lottery tickets is still voluntary.

You want to gamble?  Have a poker game with friends.  Or bet on the outcome of a football game, with friends. 

I know you mean well, but who are you to tell other people how and when and where they should gamble?

[Universe Prince]

I hate casinos, they have brought huge grief and hardship to a member of my family and I would bgurn evry damned one of the goddamn things to the ground if I could get away with it.

I'm sorry to hear that a member of your family has had trouble with casinos. That still hardly seems like grounds to shut them all down. The government has brought grief and hardship to a lot of people, and I don't see you talking about burning it to the ground. (Though these days, maybe it's just as well you didn't mention it.)

I am not opposed to gambling. I am opposed to the casino industry. When I say the "games" are rigged, that is exactly what I mean: the slots are rigged to keep a huge amount more than they pay out. Instead of Bingo, they have Keno, which is a form of the game that favors the casinos. If I play poker with my buddies and we all bet a total of $100, the total amount among us after we are through playing is still $100. THAT is an unrigged game. The casino games are rigged, because the casinos keeps a lot more than is won by players.

I am pretty sure that you are mistaken about what constitutes a rigged game. Casinos exist, like all other business, to make money. And that they offer games where the odds always favor the house is something everyone knows going in. It's not like this is a big secret. Your objection to the casinos is kinda like complaining that the grocery store charges more money for the groceries the store sells than the store itself pays for the groceries. You're not cheated if you buy groceries at that store, and no one made you shop there. The games at casinos are not rigged and no one is forced to go in and play. Of course the casinos keep alot more than is won by players. They could never remain in business if they didn't. Like the grocery store needs to make money to remain in business, so does the casino. The casinos have operating expenses just like any other business, and a need to show a profit at the end of the day just like any other business. To claim that the casinos are defrauding people by making more money than they pay out is like saying your local grocery store is cheating you by making more money than it spends.

Whatever 'fun' morons have trying to 'beat the house' is not a fraction of the amount of harm these f*cking thieves do to them. I am against casinos for the same reason I am against larceny, burglary and felonious assault.

That is a stupid comparison. Playing games in a casino is entirely voluntary. No one is assaulted and forced to go in to play. Though it is interesting you will so readily compare casinos to larceny, burglary and felonious assault, but taxation, which is far closer to larceny and burglary and felonious assault than any casino, you support to the point of ridiculing those who oppose it. Huh. Go figure. Anyway, I should also add that not everyone going into a casino to play games is there to beat the house. Many people simply go to enjoy playing the games. It is entertainment to them, not unlike a night out for dinner and movie or a night at a bar. It's not everyone's idea of enjoyment, but it doesn't have to be.

I am all for people who like to gamble playing games with one another. But casinos suck and should be banned everywhere forever amen

You're okay with gambling, you just want to dictate to folks how and where they get to do it. How conservative of you.

[Plane]

Would a better education in Mathmatics defend people from the dangers of Gambling ?


The better understanding of how exactly gambleing works would defend reasonable people from gambleing too much.


Are there enough unreasonable addictive personalitys running around to keep casinos in business once thye rest of us know better?

[Xavier_Onassis]

Would a better education in Mathmatics defend people from the dangers of Gambling ?


The better understanding of how exactly gambleing works would defend reasonable people from gambleing too much.


Are there enough unreasonable addictive personalitys running around to keep casinos in business once thye rest of us know better?
=========================================================================
There will never be a time when "the rest of us know better". Math education wpould help, but people gamble for a variety of complex reasons. The public does not want to be educated. Some people will always believe in "lucky days", just as some will always believe in horoscopes and other similar rot.

Some like to think that if they are lucky, somehow this means that God loves them and wants to reward them. Others seek to prove tpo themselves that there really is fairness in the universe, and the only way to balance out the bad luck they have had is to gamble and allow God, or fate, or whatever is in charge to balance things out for them. Others believe in luck, and that at times they are blessed, and must take advantage of this.   I think some also gamble to punish themselves for doing bad things, or stupid things, like lose their last paycheck.

I insist that casinos are like defective guns that blow up in the users' faces with surp[rising regularity, and should be banned because they are bad for society.  I don't give a shit whether this is a liberal or conservative or whiggish proposition. I say ban all the mf'ers.

[Amianthus]

and should be banned because they are bad for society.  I don't give a shit whether this is a liberal or conservative or whiggish proposition. I say ban all the mf'ers.

Thank you for again demonstrating that your goal is to make decisions on how others live their lives.

[Xavier_Onassis]

Casinos are leagalized fraud, essentially no different from bogus patent medicine, pyramid schemes, shell games, and three-card monte.
None of those are legal. Casinos should be banned for the same reason.

[Amianthus]

Casinos are leagalized fraud, essentially no different from bogus patent medicine, pyramid schemes, shell games, and three-card monte.

You are, quite obviously, wrong.

The casinos make no false representations, so they are obviously not fraudulent.

Those that do make false representations are fined or closed by the government.

[Plane]

Casinos are leagalized fraud, essentially no different from bogus patent medicine, pyramid schemes, shell games, and three-card monte.
None of those are legal. Casinos should be banned for the same reason.

Direct comparison to Social Security.