Legalizing Casino Gambling The Clear Choice
Legalizing Casino Gambling: The Clear Choice There are many convincing arguments both for and against the legalization of casino gaming. ... One of the major benefits of gambling is the revenue that is acquired for the state in which the casino is located. ... The proceeds from these winnings become distributed across the state in concordance with section 13 of The Illinois Riverboat Gambling Act of 1990. ... For instance when Joliet, IL began its plans for a new riverboat casino, they simultaneously decided to launch a revitalization program that would renovate the near-by train station and include improvements to a riverside park. ... Already we see one of the greatest benefits of having casino gambling permitted in the state. However, even with these grand proceeds, the effort to make casino gambling runs into significant opposition. In order to understand what the legalization party faces, we must analyze the arguments against gambling. Eadington describes that the contention against gambling is the idea that it is immoral, linked to organized crime and political corruption, and leads to compulsive gambling. ... The second argument is brushed aside as Eadington describes that history proves corruption in office and organized crime to be the product of illegal gambling rather than legal gaming. ... Later reports told that the group was let go, and since then, this has been the only major report of correlation between organized crime, and casino gambling (Archer 27). The third argument, that gaming leads to compulsive gambling, is the only argument that might hold significant enough proof of the detracting aspects of the like. Compulsive Gambling is a problem. According to both the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Medical Association, pathological gambling can be diagnosed as a mental disorder (Ahrens p25). ... There are organizations that are made with the intent of helping those who have developed pathological gambling problems. ... This means that for every one new casino that opened, three groups were formed to nurture and protect those who were unable to deal with the pressures of pathological gambling. In this way, pathological gambling disorders are much like alcoholism. Both gambling disorders and alcoholism are created by addiction. ... In gambling, 4% of the adult population is responsible for 52% of the gaming revenues.