In the past decade, there has been an incredible growth in the gambling industry. Twenty years ago, if people wanted to gamble, they would have to go to Nevada. Today, there are only six states in which no form of legalized gambling exists. In addition, online gambling has also gained a lot of popularity. More than seven hundred web sites now provide users the opportunity to place wagers on everything from casino games to sporting events. A survey conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project concluded that 4.5 million Americans have gambled online and that one million gamble online everyday. The capability of online gambling with its increasing accessibility has made sports gambling increasingly popular from the past. This growing popularity is becoming a problem in the United States. People are forming addictions, throwing away life savings, and dreaming for impossible outcomes. Casinos, online gambling, and sports betting should be made completely illegal or be more rigidly controlled because they promote addiction, present potential for criminal abuse, and only benefits the organizers.
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gamble_house3Compulsive gambling is a serious addiction that affects many people. While it may seem abrasive to consider it a serious disease, one must realize that the consequences of compulsive gambling can dwarf those of any other addiction. People have been known to lose their entire life's savings. Financial ruin is only one of serious events that ruin gamblers' lives. The gambling addiction affects them at work and seems to never leave their minds. In many cases, gamblers begin to integrate gambling into their daily office lives. They organize office pools or sports pools during their free hours, and bet on anything that has winning or losing situations. Arranging card games for money is also a common practice for gamblers during short breaks. The effect that...