Should Gambling be Illegal?

Gambling is an addiction and governments should deem casinos illegal. While many believe in this statement, it is demeaning and ridiculous on so many levels.

Have you ever read the story about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? Dr. Jekyll, a kind and friendly person, drinks a serum or potion and turns into the evil Mr. Hyde. And, he takes the potion repetitively. Are we going to blame the potion? Why did Dr. Jekyll keep drinking it, despite knowing its drawbacks? More importantly, are we like Dr. Jekyll, who would continue doing something that we know to be detrimental? If so, then, yes, we definitely need policing. If we’re not mature enough to control our urges, we need all the rules and laws in this world to prevent us from self-destruction. So, people who believe this statement should not complain about the Romeo squad or the banning of alcohol. Are we really in favor of such moral policing?

Our jurisprudence says: Let a hundred guilty be acquitted, but an innocent person should not be convicted. However, when we frame laws that curb an individual’s freedom to make a decision, we’re penalizing hundreds of people who visit casinos for entertainment in order to control the handful who may get addicted to gambling. Isn’t that as bad as convicting the innocent?

The argument stretches far beyond entertainment. The casino industry boosts tourism, increases the inflow of foreign exchange and generates jobs in the economy. Are we economically sound enough to deprive a region of these benefits?

Casinos have been banned. Has that effectively stopped people from gambling? There is gambling at every turn of every corner. The only thing the ban has achieved is to keep that segment free of government control. So, these gambling activities thrives, unregulated and not liable to pay any taxes.

It’s important to understand that the excess of anything is bad. The Internet and smartphones have revolutionized our lifestyles and the way we conduct business. From easing communication to bringing information to our fingertips to adding great convenience and time saving, these technologies have a widespread impact. People should definitely exploit the benefits that these technologies offer. However, there are many who become addicted to surfing the net and continuously checking their smartphones. This is such a common obsession that the word “nomophobia,” or the fear of being without a mobile phone, has found a place in Webster’s dictionary! Are the proponents of casino bans going to call for a ban on the Internet and smartphone usage? While you’re at it, maybe call for a ban on bakeries, since India is the diabetes capital of the world!

As long as our choices are not infringing the rights of others, laws should not curb our liberty, either to choose how we earn a living or what we do for entertainment. Laws should treat us like mature individuals, capable of making sound choices. Oddly, we’re considered mature enough to make decisions for the country by choosing the government, but not mature enough to make decisions for ourselves. Like I said before, it’s ridiculous and demeaning.