The Exponent - columns


04-14-2005	Previous edition: 04-13-2005

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Online gambling ban saves morals, money

Online gambling can empty a studentÕs wallet just as quickly as it can bulk it up. Our government has fought to ban online gambling, declaring it a threat to public morals. I agree that the idea of allowing citizens to legally bet obscene amounts of money on the internet is detrimental to our country for several reasons.

The United States has been attempting for several years now to ban online gambling. This matter isnÕt as trivial as it may seem on the surface. According to USA Today, experts estimate that online gambling is a $10 billion a year industry and the outcome of the case could have effects on the global industry.

The World Trade Organization declared last Thursday that the United StatesÕ reasoning behind the ban was acceptable. Antigua, a small nation in the Caribbean who has profited greatly from its growing online gaming industry, has opposed the United StatesÕ ban. Antigua points out the United States is still allowing its citizens to gamble by visiting domestic casinos or buying lottery tickets. By banning online gambling, they argue, the United States is violating international trade rules. Our governmentÕs response has been that internet gaming allows children access to illegal gambling and therefore is different from gambling at casinos or purchasing lottery tickets.

ItÕs certainly a legitimate concern, but itÕs not necessarily just the children we have to worry about. I know students may feel as though they have the right to spend their money as they choose without government interference, but what about the rampant number of gambling addictions that plague an increasing amount of people each year? Should the government just ignore that? Baylor University professor Earl Grinols, a gambling expert, estimates that societyÕs cost for a single gambling addict is $10,000. Suddenly online gambling doesnÕt seem like harmless fun and it certainly affects more than one individual. Why in the world would we introduce and advocate a more accessible method that allows you to easily gamble thousands of dollars away without leaving your house? Now you can place your bet in your underwear Ð thereÕs no reason to get dressed Ð because you donÕt even have to leave your house to go to the casino. Just surf the net and youÕre there.

College students are using online betting as a quick fix to pay their rent, grab some extra cash, and have a good time. Who wouldnÕt want to feel like he or she is in Las Vegas with the click of a button? But this isnÕt as great of an idea as it sounds because just as easily as you can Òwin big,Ó you can Òlose everything.Ó Most students already have thousands of dollars in debt simply from college loans. Why are we choosing to add to our debt on a whim?

Perhaps part of the problem stems from our idea that the internet provides a world of virtual reality Ð a simulation of real life. Online gambling, though it may include flashy computer graphics (as opposed to blinking lights and sounds of slot machines as casinos use) to lure its players in, is not a simulation by any means. ItÕs the real deal.

Fans of online betting might argue that our nationÕs reasoning behind the ban just isnÕt rational. I can see their point. There are many ÒlegalÓ activities that certainly threaten public morale. Internet pornography is a prime example. That industry is booming and yet I donÕt see government officials trying to ban porn on the Web. Why ban internet gambling?

Well, a bit of justification is that people have taken gambling to extremes and are betting on anything and everything you could possibly imagine. From sports games to guesses about who the next pope might be, citizens are signing on only to sign off on their check for the next astronomical bill they receive Ð the result of excessive online gambling.

Why we would ever want to expose a younger generation to gambling and the problems associated with it is beyond me. Students should be concentrating on earning money from hard work, not from the click of a mouse and a bit of luck. Internet gambling sends the message that earning money is fun and easy Ð you just sign online, cross your fingers, and hope for the best. But life doesnÕt work that way. Internet gambling isnÕt setting a good, moral example of how to earn an honest living and I welcome legislation that would regulate it.

Natalie Litera is a sophomore in the College of Liberal Arts. She can be reached at opinions@purdueexponent.org.

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