The Pros And Cons Of Gambling On Society

The roll of a dice, the spin of a roulette wheel, the shuffle of cards. These are scenes that flash before our eyes in movies and media in an attempt to glorify the “play-once-win-all” way of thinking. Behind the flashing lights and lucky sevens lies an underlining danger in the interworking’s of casinos and gambling organizations alike. In 1931, Nevada passed the Assembly Bill 98 legalized many forms of gambling (REVIEW-JOURNAL, 2017). Since then, more than 500 casino establishments erected on the face of America, stretching from coast to coast. On the surface casinos are seen as a harmless recreation to some, to others it’s a heavy financial burden that impacts the addicted individual and has a back-fire effect on family and society. Likewise, on the surface, only 2.5 percent of American adults are problem gamblers (David R. Francis, 2010). Some might ask, so what’s the big deal, 2% sure doesn’t seem like much? This number in fact accounts for about 4-6 million people and with the exponential rise of technology, methods of gambling are becoming as easily accessible as reaching for a phone (David R. Francis, 2010). Factors such as increased crime rates, degradation of family life and false economic benefits all point to the

This openness to gambling back fired, resulting in millions becoming addicted, losing property and sacrificing family life. Many argue for the establishment of such organizations as they bring jobs and economic prosperity, while in reality the psychological harm caused far outweighs any monetary benefit. Scientists around the globe are tackling the issue at hand, trying to discover and prevent future compulsive addictions. I side with these efforts but still believe there needs to be a collective effort for awareness and complete abolishment of gambling before any more damage is