"Poor folks gambling,

Suffer hurt;

Bit by bit,

They lose their shirt.

In not-so-ancient times, gambling was viewed as a tool of the devil, much like sex or liquor (this was before illegal drugs). People played the horses and the numbers through convenient newsstands and accommodating runners. The mob organized this efficient system, and the judicious application of hot lead settled any disputes. Las Vegas was Satan’s embassy in the U.S., where he also practiced sex and divorce.

Times change. Las Vegas has morphed into a “family entertainment” center while gambling has cleverly donned the protective garb of “recreation.” Other wagering centers have followed suit, as state after state and tribe after tribe have shed religious anathema and gone for the gold. The mob wasn’t so much defeated as outflanked. In response, it moved petulantly into garbage collection.

But gambling’s biggest ethical challenge doesn’t come from these casinos at all. It comes from the state lotteries. Unfortunately, our nation’s sainted addiction fighters normally focus their energy on challenging the big developments, rightly pointing out that each one will unleash latent demons in a certain number of nearby residents as temptation is brought conveniently to their door. Worse luck, that’s the lesser enemy."

Get the Story:
William Collins: Lotteries, not casinos, are the curse (The Bemidji Pioneer 12/3)
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