Research Paper on Gambling and Its Effects in the United States

Introduction

In the United States of America, gambling is highly restricted using legal measures. Under the close supervision of the American government, the American Gaming Association has been a major stakeholder in the gambling industry, looking into affairs of gambling entrepreneurs and players. The main type of gambling in the USA is the casinos. The existence in the USA has been highly criticized due to its negative effects on the country's development process (Kim, Choi, and Ahn 426). On the other hand, gambling can have positive impacts on the economy, such as increased revenue collection. Offering to support and counter-argue on gambling effects in the USA will help in identifying whether it positively contributes to the USA's economy and development.

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Support Arguments

Economy Improvement

Gambling in the USA can be termed as an economic activity. It has developed various avenues under which the country's economy has been boosted. The major positive economic benefit of gambling is that it has ensured that there is increased revenue collection in the USA. Casinos have been heavily taxed by the USA government (Orford, Wardle, and Griffiths 11). Besides the earnings that the casinos develop in a year, taxation is also applied to the casinos n monthly basis. The regulated environment in gambling is partially effected by taxation. Regulated environment in return leads to the development of the economy according to the targeted goals. Therefore, taxation on gambling has been a major way that gambling has positively ensured the growth of the USA's economy.

The economy has also been developed by gambling through influencing other economic and infrastructural sectors to develop. Casinos have been associated with rich and influential people (Reith 160). These people indirectly influence infrastructure in an area where the casino is located to be improved, which in return leads to boosting of the USA's economy.

Production of Employment Opportunities

Gambling has been a reliable economic activity where it has employed several people. Growth of casinos in the USA has seen them offer catering services. The growth has helped in creating jobs that have helped USA citizens to get earnings (Livingstone 684). For instance, waiters, waitresses, and even casino managers have benefited from these employment opportunities, thus improving people's standards of living.

Offers Leisure

Gambling in the USA has been a great source of leisure. People who visit the casino do so to pass the time. Casino clubs have been formed to ensure that their leisure through gambling is effectively managed (Konkoly Thege and Hodgins 32).

Develops Equitable Development

Gambling has ensured that the USA's development is not centered in one region or area. Urban centers are known to be more developed compared to local areas. Gambling has, however, ensured that equitable development between urban and local areas is achieved through allowing set up of casinos in local areas. The casinos based in local areas have attracted development in the areas, thus accelerating the development of these areas in the USA.

Counter Arguments

Addiction

Gambling has been largely argued against mainly due to the addiction that comes with the practice. Gambling is a game that captures one's interest and attention gradually. Addiction to gambling has been termed as not been dangerous as compared to addiction to drugs (Guttentag, Harrigan, and Smith 17). However, addiction to gambling has created increased individual financial instability where one overspends in gambling, leaving other expenses not catered. As a result, the addiction causes poor living standards of the individual.

Increases Corruption and Criminal Activities

Gambling has indirectly contributed to increased corruption and criminal activities in the US. Gambling has developed an untracked environment of earning, making it easy to perform money laundering activities. Money from corruption and criminal activities such as drug trafficking have been passed through casinos as the casino's earnings. In return, corruption and criminal activities are boosted.

Increases Costs

Gambling in the USA has led to increased costs in various ways. The main way that costs have been increased is through increased commodity prices in areas where the casinos are situated (Gainsbury 143). Business around the casino hikes the prices of their products since they expect that gamblers are rich individuals. Gambling also increases costs through government engagement of US citizens' money to monitor the gambling centers.

Rebuttals

Regulation of Gambling

Effects of gambling in the USA has led to more criticism and arguments on whether the regulation of the activity is effective. Gambling has both positive and negative effects. However, regulation can be put in place to ensure that the negative effects are done away with thus establishing the positive effects. For instance, economy improvement through taxation develops a regulated environment that helps in overseeing every earning gained from gambling (Bisson 132). Corruption and criminal activities money is, therefore, done away with from the gambling centers. Also, legal measures in the US have put in place requirements for individuals to attend gambling centers. The measures ensure that people are employed while addiction and increased costs are minimized (Horridge). Regulation, therefore, is a measure that has ensured a controlled gambling environment in the US, thus making gambling a positive economic activity.

More Economic Improvement

Gambling effects have shown that it has contributed to more economic growth than other negative effects. Casinos and other gambling centers have been subjected to stiff regulation measures where taxation has ensured that the USA economically benefits from their establishments. Also, employment opportunities have been created, and the development of areas where the casinos are situated has been seen (Kim, Choi, and Ahn 431). On the other hand, casinos' negative effects only include addiction and increased costs under a strictly regulated environment. The fact that positive effects are far much greater than negative effects show that regulated gambling in the USA is an important economic activity.

Works Cited

Bisson, Mitchell. "Sports Gambling In The USA: Why PASPA Should Be Repealed And Sports Gambling Should Be Legalised." International Journal of Private Law 3.1/2 (2010): 132. Web.

Gainsbury, Sally. "Pathways To Excessive Gambling: A Societal Perspective On Youth And Adult Gambling Pursuits." International Gambling Studies 11.1 (2011): 143-144. Web.

Guttentag, Daniel, Kevin Harrigan, and Stephen Smith. "Gambling By Ontario Casino Employees: Gambling Behaviours, Problem Gambling And Impacts Of The Employment." International Gambling Studies 12.1 (2012): 5-22. Web.

Horridge, Kevin. "Gambling And The Law: The Good, The Bad And The Ridiculous." casino.org. N.p., 2015. Web. 20 June 2019.

Kim, Ju-Yeon, Hyun-Joo Choi, and Kyung-Mo Ahn. "The Difference Of Awareness Level On Positive And Negative Effects Of Permitting Online Gambling's Expansion: Focused On Gambling Users, Gambling Addicts, And General Population." The Journal of the Korea Contents Association 17.1 (2017): 426-435. Web.

Konkoly Thege, Barna, and David C. Hodgins. "The 'Light Drugs' Of Gambling? Non-Problematic Gambling Activities Of Pathological Gamblers." International Gambling Studies 14.1 (2013): 29-38. Web.

Livingstone, Charles. "A Case For Clean Conferences In Gambling Research." Drug and Alcohol Review 37.5 (2018): 683-686. Web.

Orford, Jim, Heather Wardle, and Mark Griffiths. "What Proportion Of Gambling Is Problem Gambling? Estimates From The 2010 British Gambling Prevalence Survey." International Gambling Studies 13.1 (2013): 4-18. Web.

Reith, Gerda. "Global Gambling: Cultural Perspectives On Gambling Organizations." Journal of Gambling Issues 1.26 (2011): 160. Web.

van der Maas, Mark et al. "A Generational Comparison Of Problem Gambling And Gambling Attitudes Among Older Adult Gambling Venue Patrons." International Gambling Studies 19.1 (2018): 22-35. Web.