Legalization = increased addiction

[alani123]

I was reading some statistics and it became apparently obvious that addiction goes straight up when gambling is legalized.

Here's a news article:
https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/sports-gambling/gambling-disorder-increased-legalized-sports-betting-rcna351785

For instance in the US it is a crucial point because eight now many states are legalising gambling whereas the only permissible form was state lotteries which were not so addictive. For instance you may buy a ticket but the odds of winning were so low that there was no instant gratification. And the proceeds we're largely used for good causes too.

Now gambling is all about super fast wins and advertising that is projecting false standards. So people are seeing it everywhere and accessing it by just making a bank wire that is instantly credited just like paying for a streaming subscription.

Maybe it's better for the collective good that gambling remains non legalized.

[Vaculin]

The thing is, if these casinos will not be legalized, the government will not also earn revenues from them, so if legalization paves way for it, then government should legalized such casinos who pass their qualifications.

But I agree on the part that legalization only increased addiction. However I guess on that part, its not the casino nor legalization that should be blamed here, but its on how gamblers recklessly spend their funds into gambling.

[uneng]

When gambling is legalized, it's heavily introduced to the masses through ads on the main channels of communication. As consequence, you have lots of people being introduced to gambling without proper guidance and knowledge. The chances of having disfunctional behaviors as consequence is huge, and that is what we have been seeing in society nowadays.

I remember when I started gambling. Very few people I knew talked about this matter. I know there were addicted people back then, but not at the current rates of tragic stories where people are destroying their lives due to gambling addiction. It's still 6% of total gamblers who develop a problematic behavior, but 6% from the total number of gamblers we have nowadays is much more impacting than in previous years.

I think if the mainstream channels were concerned about explaining how gambling works, mathematically speaking, we would have less cases of addiction, while still keeping it legalized.

[Hispo]

This is quite sensitive topic which has to do with concepts like individual freedom, business practices and also collective health.

I personally believe that the sole argument of something being directly harmful for some people is enough to ban products and services from one's country. We all know there is a direct correlation between lung cancer and tobacco smoking, and also a direct correlation between fatal car accidents and alcohol consumption, yet no country within the western hemisphere would dare to try to ban both tobacco and alcohol.

I believe gambling is supposed to be available, but regulated. Not allowing casinos and bookies to use illegal practices and using tax money from casinos and bookies to improve one's own country.

Here in my country there are legal casinos and I while I have know people who get hooked up, they are functional members of society which can control their urges to gamble. At least, that is what I believe.

[Oshosondy]

If gambling is legalized, there will be gambling ads, which will let people get exposed to gambling anf it will be in a way that more people will know about gambling. Yes, more people will be exposed to gambling and there will be more people that will be addicted to gambling.

Maybe it's better for the collective good that gambling remains non legalized.

That is your own opinion, but the opinion of some people will be opposite to yours.

[Achalugo BTC]

If gambling is legalized, there will be gambling ads, which will let people get exposed to gambling anf it will be in a way that more people will know about gambling. Yes, more people will be exposed to gambling and there will be more people that will be addicted to gambling.

That's right, but, legalization doesn't mean one its safe, as it will still increases the chances of one getting addicted, which they can be exposed through different ways, like you said through ads and they won't even bother to make findings about the risks involved since they feel its being legalized, as they will just gamble without having control of their emotions. Though, the reason why something its being legalized its for good reasons but some persons will abuse it and that will hurt them and even affect their relationships badly.

[Hispo]

If gambling is legalized, there will be gambling ads, which will let people get exposed to gambling anf it will be in a way that more people will know about gambling. Yes, more people will be exposed to gambling and there will be more people that will be addicted to gambling.

Maybe it's better for the collective good that gambling remains non legalized.

That is your own opinion, but the opinion of some people will be opposite to yours.

Statistically, it is true that gambling being legal can increase the amount of people getting addicted to gambling. But that is where the true debate about individual freedom and responsibility begins. An adult is supposed to be aware of what they do with their money, some people would agree and other disagree with it.

Also, even in countries were gambling is not considered to be a legal activity, there are underfround casinos and bookies which secretly offer their service to the population, or they bride local governments to operate and not pay taxes. Gambling addiction will exist regardless of the status of the business within one's country, the percentage of addicts per one hundred thousand habitants is what one needs pay attention to.

[Bitcoin.com97]

Anyways it's true been legalize can make many to be addicted,but at the same time many are addicted gamblers even tho it's not legalize yet ,so I can't say legalization will be a big reason for an increase in addiction, gambling has a negative impact already on individual,so maybe it's even better they put an stop to gambling activities if we know it will be more harmful to people.

[Agbamoni]

Yes. When something is legalized it means it is a acceptable in the society. That means, if gambling is legalized in a country, that country will have people gambling without being questioned at all. It will increase the rate of addiction as there is no legal limit to restrain people from gambling even if they are going beyond normal .gambling.

[The Founding Titan]

I was reading some statistics and it became apparently obvious that addiction goes straight up when gambling is legalized.

Here's a news article:
https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/sports-gambling/gambling-disorder-increased-legalized-sports-betting-rcna351785

For instance in the US it is a crucial point because eight now many states are legalising gambling whereas the only permissible form was state lotteries which were not so addictive. For instance you may buy a ticket but the odds of winning were so low that there was no instant gratification. And the proceeds we're largely used for good causes too.

Now gambling is all about super fast wins and advertising that is projecting false standards. So people are seeing it everywhere and accessing it by just making a bank wire that is instantly credited just like paying for a streaming subscription.

Maybe it's better for the collective good that gambling remains non legalized.

We can also look at it from a different angle, the stats are there because people are willing to talk about it and people are willing to talk about it because it's become legal but even in places where gambling is illegal people still find a way to gamble, just that these people won't be eager about taking a survey about their gambling because it would prove that they are gambling in a system that doesn't support gambling, we can try to rewire things to make them look like addiction is only a problem when gambling is legalized but that's not the case, of course when gambling gets legalized in a place more people tend to end up as gamblers, I'm just saying that the stats are not always as straightforward as they might seem.

[Don Pedro Dinero]

There seems to be a difference here compared to alcohol. Under Prohibition, alcohol consumption initially fell but then rebounded, and, above all, problematic behaviour was exacerbated. In this case, it seems that a much greater availability and variety of gambling options is what has led to an increase in problematic behaviour.

It is clear that being able to gamble on your mobile at any time is a potential problem.

[fruktik]

For many years, the government in my country debated the legalization of casinos. There were heated discussions, but the issue remained unresolved. The president stubbornly refused to do so. But now the time has come to reconsider this issue, as it is vital to the survival of the "system" itself.

Now, legal, separate gambling zones have emerged, and their number is growing. While this may be normal for some, it's not for my country. It was always taboo. Now it's legal. This is how the budget deficit affects the situation.

[danherbias07]

There's big money in it. That's why it will be legalized in more states. Congress and the Senate will probably agree with all when they see how much cash and wire transfers will be flowing, and a big part of them will fall to taxes that will help the economy. Sadly, there's little money to help the gambling addicts.

It cannot be avoided since it is starting to become a norm now. Gambling + Sports = Higher level of Entertainment. It is one of the biggest industries in the US. Entertainment.
Let's also not forget that due to inflation, Americans spend less, and they are cooking their own food instead of eating out. One person I read in one forum said, "Why eat out when you can cook better than them?"
With gambling, it might help boost the growth in spending, which also helps the economy.

[karabiber]

As the variety of betting options increases, so do tax revenues. Most policymakers don’t care about us. Because they’re focused on how much tax they can collect. State lotteries weren’t generating enough revenue, and sports betting has effectively filled that gap. The legalization of gambling is, in a sense, intended to curb illegal gambling and prevent the shadow economy.

The government does not encourage addiction but focuses on its own losses. If gambling had not been legalized, there would have been more illegal gambling, and tracking it would have been difficult. The legalization of gambling was, in a sense, a way to take control of the mechanisms governing gambling.

[iv4n]

Maybe it's better for the collective good that gambling remains non legalized.

That's not a solution... Legalized or not, people will find a way to gamble. And because some people get carried away, why should everyone else have to bear the consequences? Where is the freedom of choice?

As always, I come back to education. I know it's easy to say, but people should learn about things before they jump into them...  understand things before you get involved. In many ways, we are on our own... we need to learn how to learn, and how to stay safe in many areas/parts of life.

You know, we are all addicted to something. It's just a question of what you are addicted to, and who is in control.

[OsaiEmma]

I was reading some statistics and it became apparently obvious that addiction goes straight up when gambling is legalized.

Here's a news article:
https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/sports-gambling/gambling-disorder-increased-legalized-sports-betting-rcna351785

For instance in the US it is a crucial point because eight now many states are legalising gambling whereas the only permissible form was state lotteries which were not so addictive. For instance you may buy a ticket but the odds of winning were so low that there was no instant gratification. And the proceeds we're largely used for good causes too.

Now gambling is all about super fast wins and advertising that is projecting false standards. So people are seeing it everywhere and accessing it by just making a bank wire that is instantly credited just like paying for a streaming subscription.

Maybe it's better for the collective good that gambling remains non legalized.

Getting to the root of this is like going down a rabbit hole. If we stop at just the licensing/legalizing of gambling sites/casinos to reduce gambling addiction, then we ain't ready to get a good result yet.

IMO, if we truly want to achieve this, we have to go further down by completely banning and blocking them; otherwise, they'll look for ways to still operate. Even bans won't stop them completely, but it will make operation more difficult and create inconveniences.

Bettors will still look for ways to gamble and access gambling facilities. Now that the internet is easily accessible to anyone, there is no need for a physical gambling house anymore. So there will always be a way around it.

I feel the best thing is to create a form of tutorial or warning to bettors to curtail their gambling habits. But gambling sites won't do that because these addicts are their cash cows.

[giammangiato]

The statistics also have a concept to discuss, which is greatly underestimated. Gambling has been constantly growing for about 10 years, and making it legal or illegal changes very little. We all know that the growth is due to the world of smartphones.
Now anywhere in the world with a very banal vpn you can play anything and on any platform, I see no limits on that.
A very banal example, in Italy Polymarket is inaccessible, but those who truly intend to gamble still find a way to do so, so legalizing gambling or not would change nothing.

[Sandra_hakeem]

I was reading some statistics and it became apparently obvious that addiction goes straight up when gambling is legalized.

Here's a news article:
https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/sports-gambling/gambling-disorder-increased-legalized-sports-betting-rcna351785

For instance in the US it is a crucial point because eight now many states are legalising gambling whereas the only permissible form was state lotteries which were not so addictive. For instance you may buy a ticket but the odds of winning were so low that there was no instant gratification. And the proceeds we're largely used for good causes too.

Now gambling is all about super fast wins and advertising that is projecting false standards. So people are seeing it everywhere and accessing it by just making a bank wire that is instantly credited just like paying for a streaming subscription.

They're possibly looking for a more easier way, something like 'just a tap can reload your wallets to save time'... Time?! What about money.

Maybe it's better for the collective good that gambling remains non legalized.

Where do we begin to protest? Who will be the first, even among the organization of gambling authorities to stand up, speak a word, remove their legal stamps and fight the widespread of this mess? I'm totally not against gambling, but with the way things are going, in a few years, it'll be one of the most disturbing nightmares that over 70% of our young children will be struggling with. Not to mention the crime cases spiking in a jiffy.

[imthegreat]

I was reading some statistics and it became apparently obvious that addiction goes straight up when gambling is legalized.

Here's a news article:
https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/sports-gambling/gambling-disorder-increased-legalized-sports-betting-rcna351785

For instance in the US it is a crucial point because eight now many states are legalising gambling whereas the only permissible form was state lotteries which were not so addictive. For instance you may buy a ticket but the odds of winning were so low that there was no instant gratification. And the proceeds we're largely used for good causes too.

Now gambling is all about super fast wins and advertising that is projecting false standards. So people are seeing it everywhere and accessing it by just making a bank wire that is instantly credited just like paying for a streaming subscription.

Maybe it's better for the collective good that gambling remains non legalized.

I was very intrigued by the analogy between lotteries and gambling, and I want to say that lotteries are indeed weaker in terms of their psychological impact on the gambler. I think this is because in a lottery, a person chooses numbers or receives a pre-printed ticket and sits with it, awaiting the outcome. But in slot machines, the gambler takes action each time, spinning the reels. They act, even though they don't actually contribute, but this creates the illusion that they have influence over the machine and its outcomes. And that's what makes it so addictive. Lotteries are truly a boring pastime compared to gambling, and that's the key.

[alani123]

If gambling is legalized, there will be gambling ads, which will let people get exposed to gambling anf it will be in a way that more people will know about gambling. Yes, more people will be exposed to gambling and there will be more people that will be addicted to gambling.

Maybe it's better for the collective good that gambling remains non legalized.

That is your own opinion, but the opinion of some people will be opposite to yours.

So, ok, what are we going to base our opinion on?

Statistics show that the direct effect of legalization is increased addiction and problem gambling.
Can we even combat this? Maybe in the long term countries with better infrastructure to help those in need will do better but does it help at all when the risk is always there for everyone to get addicted more easily than with harder access without a legalization scheme?

It's both a question of ethics as well as practical sociology because maybe there's a way to do legalized gambling without prompting such high increases in addiction and it could be that we haven't discovered it yet. But till then is it ok to let casinos just be while the results of increased addiction are expected?