Sports Betting...the gateway drug.

[Maleg]

Originally Posted by codecow

Let’s take a look at what else happens on a Vegas trip (when I go):

First class flight <- about what I will change from cash to play one day
Dinner(s) <- A nice dinner is between 0.2 of one day gambling to 1.5x
Entertainment Tickets <- Again 0.2 to 1.5x

So when I go, before comps, for a weekend I’m going to spend around what I would wager by changing cash for non-gambling. So the gambling at worst is just another entertainment expense that doubles the cost of the trip.

Sports betting is a knowledge game where it’s one of the better things to do if you have the knowledge. I typically do one or more sports bets to offset losses.

Gambling is a voluntary transaction and as such it should not be regulated.

Using heroin is a voluntary transaction too. But society recognizes its addictive nature and health risks. Which is why you don’t see TV ads pushing heroin and you can’t legally transact it in most jurisdictions.

[Yobber76]

Originally Posted by East Bay Rider

We're living in a contrarian time. Values are all over the place.
Vice is virtue. Weak is brave. Immorality is questioned, justified and explained away. Gambling is just a game. Brightly colored apps and free money.
Can't wait to see what's next.

Hunger games

[1William]

I have no issue with gambling or alcohol or drugs. Peoples behavior is the issue and when it impacts others, then it is a problem. Government is not the solution, personal responsibility is.

[codecow]

Originally Posted by Maleg

Using heroin is a voluntary transaction too. But society recognizes its addictive nature and health risks. Which is why you don’t see TV ads pushing heroin and you can’t legally transact it in most jurisdictions.

Not a great comparison. There are casino ads regularly on TV and such and how many people are negatively affected by it? The genie has been out of the bottle on sports betting for a long time in many jurisdictions and what have the results been?

[77T]

I never met a Quinela I didn't like.
That is, until I saw Perfecta payouts...

Behavioral and Psychological balances can get out of kilter if under the sports book hood lurks a massive fixing scandal. I sense there is a hidden skim in the props, odds, and money flow.

Outside of Lotteries with Educational or other public service beneficiaries, large-scale online betting is not a great thing methinks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[SMD]

Originally Posted by Maleg

Using heroin is a voluntary transaction too. But society recognizes its addictive nature and health risks. Which is why you don’t see TV ads pushing heroin and you can’t legally transact it in most jurisdictions.

Should not be regulated? At all? Kid okay?

[Maleg]

Originally Posted by SMD

Should not be regulated? At all? Kid okay?

I just said that it is regulated in most jurisdictions counselor. I can’t say all because some cities deregulated hard drugs (with bad outcomes).

I have seen the results of unfettered gambling on some people I know. The impact on work, finances, and family were akin to what a heroin addict might experience. I would not permit any advertising for any gambling, just as I would not permit advertising for other harmful activities.

Society can recognize dangers to itself and control access to those dangers to protect itself. Its a free country, not a free-for-all country. There have always been regulations on activities known to be contrary to the greater good.

[piratfisk]

Originally Posted by superdog

no flame from me. I agree.

And I love to sit at the tables in Vegas. But I am know what I am comfortable losing. Only entertainment value for me.

A lot of people can't do this. The first time I went to a casino, I had $200 bucks. Lost it all on blackjack (didn't know how to play Texas Hold'Em at that time). Never went back. I like money more than I like diluted whisky & second-hand smoke.

You used to have to GET to a casino to lose your money or know a bookie who'd be happy taking it from you on pay-day. Now, just enter your CC details & scroll away. Dumb, man... People are dumb.

[Yoda_Eating_Pizza]

Originally Posted by 1William

I have no issue with gambling or alcohol or drugs. Peoples behavior is the issue and when it impacts others, then it is a problem. Government is not the solution, personal responsibility is.

Agreed.

[Rock]

The reason that governments take responsibility for people's actions is because people don't take responsibility themselves, and even if they do, the actions for which they take responsibility are injurious to society.
The 'rule-based order' exists to protect society from people who have no sense of right/wrong and no sense of responsibility.

[Rock]

double post.

[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by Yobber76

Hunger games

Formula 1 is now video broadcast entertainment like the Hunger Games. Hmm, i sense a pattern forming.

[330ci]

I've faced difficulties with addiction in the past and this is one of the few things that has genuinely blown my mind. Between the sports betting and legalization of Marijuana in Michigan, I can't pump my gas without a TV pot ad on my pump, can't drive anywhere without sports betting promoted billboards, and then get ads on my phone as well.

Blows my mind how many commercial advertising laws there are against alcohol, yet absolutely none for gambling and pot. To further exacerbate the issues, they're definitely geared towards younger folks.

The government has taken a "if you can't beat em, join em" approach to crime it seems. We've gone from "no child left behind" to "no criminal left behind". Just lower the charges, increase theft thresholds, do away with bail and hope for the best it seems.

This stuff is biblical if you really think about it.


Thank God we have all this extra tax money though, now they can fix the roads and education system right?

[330ci]

Originally Posted by Rock

The reason that governments take responsibility for people's actions is because people don't take responsibility themselves, and even if they do, the actions for which they take responsibility are injurious to society.
The 'rule-based order' exists to protect society from people who have no sense of right/wrong and no sense of responsibility.

Which becomes highly problematic when the people running the show have no sense of right or wrong or responsibility to the public in which they serve.

Given the choice to Gamble or do Heroine, I guarantee majority of people here would willingly gamble, and none would voluntarily do heroine. Given the willingness to participate, I'd say Gambling has a greater risk to the public and should be more highly regulated as such.

But if we're going to open the floodgates on gambling, I say legalize drugs too. Let's get all that untaxed money if morals are out the window. Get your Heroine and Crack next to your Lottery Tickets, Cigarettes and Booze.


If your argument is that it's the governments job to protect(which is not a foundational belief of the American Constitution) then they shouldn't be picking and choosing what vices to regulate, all vices should be regulated to the extent necessary to protect the public; or not at all. Given the USA's beliefe in limited government interference in business and personal matters, I'd argue for free market capitalism to handle the issue.

While Maleg definitely alluded to the negativities of legalization. I'd argue that there isn't widespread enough decriminalization to trigger the necessary recovery resources in effect. The lack of efficacy comes from a dystopian system currently in place held together with ineffective treatments of the past.

Getting people sober is a widely unsuccessful practice in the most willing of participants. Expecting people off the streets to get sober immediately is a pipe dream. But babysitting them on probation isn't working much better. I wanted it and it still took a quarter mil + in treatment with current programs before I got my first year.

Prisons are for profit institutions subsidized by the government at great expense to tax payers. No reason some of those funds couldn't be diverted to create lower cost, EFFECTIVE, rehabilitation programs at no additional cost to society. The problem is theres more money in incarceration than rehabilitation in the current profit system, and the public would significantly need to adjust their optics to adopt a new system. As seen currently, the criminality of drugs has little effect on people using them or not. Probably best just to let those who want to use them, and focus resources elsewhere.

[Rock]

I certainly agree that it is "problematic" when those "running the show" are irresponsible as well. It's why we are in this situation with gambling, isn't it. I guess we, the people, should be holding them to account, but that doesn't seem to be happening. Apathy.
Yes, goverments (everywhere) are inconsistent on policing "vices". Alcohol has always been the best example of this. Police 'em all or police none - crap choice, and not going to work anyhow. If there were any easy answers to any of this we'd have found them decades ago.
I wouldn't like to leave anything to 'laissez-faire capitalism' to regulate. The GFC was a good example of that.