Should Gambling be Legal?

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There are always people willing to participate in illegal activities. Legalizing everything that humans do will not stop that. The ESPN survey includes nickle-and-dime bets over the water cooler and a myriad of low-level background wagering. The occurance of online betting dropped dramatically with the passage of 2006 UIEGA legislation, especially among college students who tended to be the most troubled by sports betting.

There has not been one single case where legalizing gambling has led to a reduction of illegal gambling. In fact, legalizing gambling tends to increase illegal gambling because odds and payoffs of illegal bookies are better since they pay no taxes or fees -- and they offer loans to addicted or troubled gamblers.

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Not everything should be legalized. But honest, consensual activities involving adults should.

The claim that legalizing gambling does not reduce illegal gambling is puzzling. If all gambling were legalized, there would be no illegal gambling by definition. Even recognizing the need to enforce age limits and prevent fraud, the black market surely would be dramatically reduced by legalization, just as the illegal market for alcoholic beverages virtually disappeared after Prohibition was repealed.

Aside from one short-term survey involving a small sample of college-age respondents, I have not seen any evidence that the UIGEA has had a substantial, lasting effect on the overall level of online gambling. Even if it did, that should not be counted as a success, since it would mean that people were prevented from engaging in a pastime they otherwise would have enjoyed.