Do you feel lucky? Do you? Almost everyone’s gambled at some point in his life, laying down money on everything from lottery tickets to Vegas poker tables. The thrill of chasing that elusive jackpot has turned gambling into a multi-billion-dollar industry, but there’s a personal risk that comes with every wager. With nearly 500 casinos currently open for business in the U.S. has legalized gambling gone too far?
Preserving the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness requires a government that forbids and punishes the use of force or fraud to harm people or deprive them of their property. Preventing people from playing poker or betting on sports has nothing to do with this mission. To the contrary, it violates the right to pursue happiness by preventing adults from engaging in consensual activities they enjoy.
And yes, this principle obviously applies to sex (whether or not it's exchanged for money) and drugs. Even rock 'n' roll.
The phrase "predatory commercial gambling" conflates peaceful, honest transations with crimes such as theft and assault. Offering people an opportunity to gamble, provided there is no force or fraud involved, is not a predatory crime. Gamblers obviously do get something in exchange for their money, even if it's only a little excitement and the pleasure of a game; otherwise they would not gamble. This is exactly the kind of behavior that government has an obligation to protect, not prevent.
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