| Recently the United States government has | | | | If we look at the issue from an even broader |
| passed a law making it illegal for credit card | | | | perceptive is not gambling on the internet less |
| companies or other such institutions in the United | | | | harmful on the whole then investing or gambling |
| States to make payments over the internet to | | | | on the stock market? Depending on how one |
| businesses that are involved in online gambling. I | | | | wishes to label it, always bearing in mind that |
| for my part would like to say that I am not a | | | | gambling is an activity in which money changes |
| gambler of any kind as the times that I have | | | | hands more by chance then by skill or knowledge. |
| been to a casino or gambled at one are so few | | | | The stock market naturally being more harmful |
| as to be counted on one hand so it is not with a | | | | by virtue of being able to cause devastating |
| personal interest that I am against such a law nor | | | | effects on the economy of the whole world |
| is it that I profit in any way, shape or form from | | | | whereas internet gambling may realistically involve |
| online gambling or any other kind. I merely speak | | | | only those who directly partake in it. Furthermore |
| out against a law that I consider to be unfair, | | | | losses from internet gambling could never even |
| illogical and hypocritical as it allows the same | | | | approach those that were caused by the "sub |
| activity when practiced in Casinos in cities like Las | | | | prime market" which has set the world in to |
| Vegas or Atlantic City but not on the internet. To | | | | recession; though few are willing to use the term, |
| my way of thinking this is the equivalent of | | | | at least for now. |
| passing a law that makes it illegal to consume | | | | Â |
| liquor in bars but not in restaurants; where the | | | | The reason the United States congress has seen |
| activity is left unaltered but for some reason the | | | | fit to declare gambling on the internet as illegal is |
| law strikes out against. | | | | based upon "morality". I personally do not see |
| Â | | | | how this be "immoral"; if such a word could be |
| The issue to those who made the law regarding | | | | applied to people who by there own free will are |
| online gambling in the United States was so called | | | | risking their own assets as opposed to those who |
| "morality" which of course is arbitrary and if one | | | | do likewise on the stock market. The stock |
| looks at things from a purely logical point of view | | | | market being a place where on many occasions |
| should never be used as a basis for law. It being | | | | those who invest do not even do so with their |
| this sort of thinking which in the US lead to the | | | | own savings but those of others who are not |
| failed Volstead Act. This act being the one that | | | | necessarily among society's most affluent or |
| brought about prohibition in the United States | | | | sometimes not even informed as to what is being |
| during the 20s which contrary to popular | | | | done with their money. Is it not or should it not |
| misconception made it unlawful not to produce or | | | | be up to each individual to decide in what form he |
| consume alcohol but to sell or buy it. Meaning one | | | | or she wishes to spend or risk loosing his or her |
| could not profit from it which of course some did | | | | financial resources or in this case not even on |
| and in a huge way. | | | | what but where? |
| Â | | | | Â |
| Morality regardless of what ever we may be told | | | | However I in what be this whole affair see |
| is a point of view which has always been; as what | | | | something else that perhaps some do not and |
| is considered to be moral by one individual or | | | | that is if people are not allowed to gamble on the |
| society will not necessarily be considered as such | | | | internet or at least those in the US then would |
| by another individual or society. For instance some | | | | they not be forced to do so exclusively in |
| may consider adultery as immoral though the law | | | | American casinos as they would be left with no |
| in most countries does not regard it as illegal or at | | | | other legal choice. This making it abundantly clear |
| least not anymore. As another example I can | | | | that with a law forbidding gambling on the internet |
| state how in some countries alcohol consumption | | | | on supposedly moral grounds then American |
| is considered illegal on religious and moral grounds | | | | casinos would no longer be loosing out to internet |
| though in others it is not. However morality should | | | | competition. This leaving the road clear for |
| be distinguished between right and wrong. Of | | | | American gambling loses to stay in America as |
| course never loosing sight of how even these | | | | opposed to leaving the country. This in my opinion |
| two to a large extent are also subjective to | | | | is the real issue that is being disguised as morality. |
| interpretation though for the most part it is | | | | Â |
| accepted by most of society that murder and | | | | Naturally since casinos would be making more |
| theft are wrong. | | | | money because of this law so would the United |
| Â | | | | States government given that casinos would have |
| With regards to the morality of gambling; we like | | | | higher revenues to be taxed which in a time of |
| many other things such as prostitution, drinking, | | | | crisis would not come as unwanted income. This |
| same sex marriages, smoking, and drug taking | | | | even goes further as when Americans gamble |
| can always argue about their moral aspects and | | | | less in casinos and more on the internet they also |
| their effect on society as a whole but can it be | | | | spend less money on traveling to those casinos, |
| considered wrong for people who are past a | | | | or staying in the hotels which own the casinos. |
| certain age (18 in most countries) to willingly risk | | | | This creating a situation that internet gambling has |
| loosing their money in an attempt to win more of | | | | not only taken profits from American casinos but |
| it even if this be on the internet? These people | | | | all those businesses connected to them. So taking |
| after all are aware that there is a chance that | | | | these factors in to consideration, I in my believe |
| their money will be lost, at least to them. This is a | | | | (if no one else's) claim this law was passed to |
| question I would reply in the negative; giving the | | | | assist casinos in America and their associated |
| following reason. Why should it be less moral for a | | | | businesses in making higher profits while hiding |
| person to win or loose money in gambling on the | | | | behind the smoke screen that is morality. Moral |
| internet then it is on "Wall Street"? This being a | | | | grounds being that people loose their money and |
| place were even larger sums of money are won | | | | communities suffers as if the same thing did not |
| and lost. If we lend some thought to the matter; | | | | occur when the identical activity is carried out in |
| is "investing" money on the stock market not a | | | | the casinos of Los Vegas or Atlantic City. |
| form of gambling as one is never sure one will | | | | Â |
| profit or not unless one has inside information | | | | Of course like with prohibition which did not stop |
| which is even illegal. Naturally I am aware that | | | | drinking but rather increased it; this law based on |
| there are those who will say that on the stock | | | | hypocrisy will also not stop online gambling either; |
| market money is neither won nor loss but simply | | | | even for Americans (let alone people from other |
| changes hands well is it not the same case with | | | | countries) as all they need do is travel outside the |
| online gambling and in this argument, let it not slip | | | | US or simply find a foreign bank to issue them a |
| our minds that investing (or gambling) on the | | | | credit card that is not bound to uphold laws that |
| stock market may also be done on the internet. | | | | simply do not make sense and serve no purpose |
| Â | | | | other then the interest of a select few. |