Monday, 13 October 2008
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Legalizing Slot Machines: Yay or Nay?
by mr pine
In the state I'm in, Maryland, there will be a referendum on legalizing slot machines on the November ballot. This has been the source of much debate. A portion of the money gained from slots will go toward education and balancing the state's budget.
Proponents of legalizing slots say that it will raise money for the state without raising taxes. They also argue that people who want to play slots are already going to surrounding states to do so, which siphons revenue from this state to those.
Opponents say that it will victimize the poor and uneducated for the sake of the state's coffers and that it will increase crime and corruption.
I was solidly neutral on the subject until recently. The reason I was neutral was that, practically speaking, I didn't think any of the arguments, pro or con, held water.
Against the pro side, I thought that though it may increase the state's revenue, I know that this state is abysmal at spending money efficiently and will probably find some way of squandering it anyhow. This was the same arguement that they used to pass legislation to allow for the lottery... and if that was what was going to save us, why, just a few years later, do they need this revenue AND my state taxes seem to get higher every year (besides the fact that I live in a very liberal tax-and-spend state).
Against the con side, I didn't see how slots were any different from the lottery as far as victimizing the poor. In fact, to play slots, you actually have to go somewhere instead of just being able to pick up lottery tickets at the corner store. And since the slots would only be allowed at racetracks and similar venues, it would probably be in those facilities' best interest to try to minimize crime around those places themselves.
So what was left was whether I thought that, in and of itself, it was wrong.
The Bible doesn't speak directly to the matter of gambling. Yes, people mention passages about materialism and coveting and hoarding, but I think these apply more to other areas than to gambling itself.
Then in a lunchtime debate (I have a lot of these in my office), someone said something that made me shift my thinking a little. I was saying that though I didn't like the idea of slots, I didn't see how it was any different than the lottery in the way that it could "victimize" the poor. He responded by saying, "Yeah, but with the lottery, you don't see people spending the whole day spending dollar after dollar at the convenience store playing until they have no money left."
It's true. The lottery sort of polices itself in the sense in that in any "Pick Three" or "Pick Four" or Mega Millions jackpot, you have to wait until a certain time of day to find out if you've won or not. And with the scratch-offs, after some point, you're just going to get tired of scratching all those tickets... plus, you can visually see just how much money you've squandered as the tickets pile up. But with slots, (especially with ATMs available in the room) you can just keep playing until you completely empty your bank account.
This is when I also realized that gambling, to me, is not really as much about how you use your money, but rather about the addictive nature of it... the idolization aspect. It's that you could spend so much of your thought, as well as your money, devoted to a game of chance. Professional gamblers will tell you that it's not about how much they win but about the chase of the next "big win" - the money is just how you keep score.
I've played slot machines before and know first-hand that it's not that I think I'm going to get rich from playing slots. The occassional payout is just really enticement to keep playing. Thankfully, I don't have an addictive personality, but if I did, I could see how addiction to gambling could literally ruin my life.
So, is gambling wrong? In general, I don't think it's any more wrong than buying a car you can't afford, or coveting that electronic gadget that you don't need. We are all called to be good stewards of our money and flee from materialism. But I don't think that the act of pulling the arm (although they use buttons now) on a slot machine is, in itself, sinful.
However, as a Christian, I should oppose gambling because of its nature. By nature, it is addictive and directly encourages idolatry and greed. And as a Christian, I should discourage anything that can directly lead to stumbling believers and the taking advantage of the poor.
This is why I'm voting no on this referendum.
What do you think about this referendum on legalizing slot machines? Yay or nay?
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Comments (35)
nay
hahaha...the reason you don't see them standing in the store is that they take all of their tickets home with them to scratch....vote your conscience (where God leads you)...
nay: said in point - "the act of gambling creates more greed and idolatry."
a simple....NAY!
I live in Maryland also and I'm voting no! Have you ever been to Atlantic City, NJ. Go one block outside of the casino areas and tell me if they are bringing in revenue that is helping the citizens of that area!
slot machines aren't any fun. video blackjack is where it is at.
i hate gambling because it's such a waste of money.
that being said, i agree with the lottery analogy. my mom used to spend something like $80 a month on lottery tickets, just because they'd catch her eye while in line at the grocery store or gas station. if that can be legal, i don't see why slot machines shouldn't be.
also, you should realize that your decision affects non-Christians. is it your job to legislate their morality as well? i'd be incredibly pissed off if a Muslim or Buddhist tried to tell me what to do based on a religion i didn't follow.............
no. i don't care where the money is going to, it's coming FROM someone else in a negative way. my dad gambled away more then half of my university/college savings and a portion of the mortgage money.
gambling creates more problems then it solves.
nay
nay. slots are programmed to lose more than it wins its not random so its legal stealing. also gambling hurts your community more than it helps. crime rate goes up.
I live in Delaware and we have them! You see many older people at the casinos. Many of them are playing more than one machine! Such a waste! I don't think they have helped our state one bit!
BTW, we also have a lottery with daily numbers drawn twice a day and the state is part of two different multi-state lotteries! I consider them all a voluntary tax.
Nay.
Proverbs 14:11 - Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.
Nay
I'm in Delaware, and I don't really see a problem with casinos. Nobody is holding a gun to anyone's head and saying you HAVE to go there. The amount of security in these places keeps it from being a problem area. It's mostly where the 70-somethings go to spend their Social Security checks, and they don't tend to be a rowdy bunch.
I don't like gambling myself, but to each his own, as long as they aren't killing anyone. And if they have a problem, there are always helplines and avenues to be taken for that.
i think we live in a country thats laws are based on the constitution, not the bible. therefore, the bible should not even be thought of when trying to decide if something should be legalized.
consider this...not everyone believes the same thing as you. why should someone who may not even believe in god not be able to play slot machines all because a 2,000 year old book alludes to the fact that gambling might be wrong?
utter nonsense.
@realmedragonboy - you're a moron. true slot machines are completely random. by true i mean non-video. each reel has multiple cherries (the lowest payout) and only one jackpot (the biggest payout), therefore you have a greater chance of hitting three cherries than three jackpots. the payouts are based on the odds. a single cherry on most machines will pay 3:1, while three jackpots may pay up to 1,000,000:1. as the odds decrease, the payout goes up...just like any other game of chance. you get a bigger payout if you bet the number rather than color in roulette. you get a bigger payout if you hit blackjack because it is statistically less likely than any other way to win. etc, etc, etc regarding every casino game.
bottom line - - if you don't want to play, DON'T. you can modify this rule to apply to not talking about things you don't know about.
actully before you call some one a moron you should know what you are talking about first off the slot machines are all electronic. maybe not the slots back when vegas was first starting but they are now if it were up to casinos there would be no cards because slots generate more money cause the odds are considerably lower also people have been known to win in casinos and have had to give the money back cause the machine wasent supposed to pay out so yes they are not random they pay off after a certain amount of money is generated. i know this cause my best friend works in the casino with the machines and tells me the garbage that goes on with them. also if it is random explain to me how the payout percentage is dfferent here than it is in vegas.
@jeep_jim@xanga -
"why should someone who may not even believe
in god not be able to play slot machines all because a 2,000 year old
book alludes to the fact that gambling might be wrong?"
-- Actually, it seems that the U.S. constitution would allow the states to make decisions regarding something like slot machines (via the 10th amendment). I can understand arguments against having slot machines or gambling, even from a non-religious standpoint. Although I do understand that most arguments against the gambling industry are generally religious in nature, or at least come from religious groups.
However, I do agree with most of what you have to say-- If you don't want to play, don't. Nobody is forcing anybody (if somebody was putting a gun to people's head and forcing them to play, then that's a different story). If anybody blows a lot of their money on a slot machine, it's their own fault. Then again, it's also possible that some people may enjoy playing slot machines, and still be able to play responsibly.
aside from the debate about whether or not gambling is wrong in of itself, this is what i think:
there is research that shows how gambling can have similar affects on the brain as alcohol and other drugs. of all the types of gambling, slot machines have been compared to crack/cocaine because it is the most addictive form of gambling as compared to tables/cards/horse/sport/lotto BECAUSE the result/reward comes out faster than those games. a football game or a game of cards is slow, like slow drugs, but the wait time for slots is faster LIKE COCAINE. that is a researched fact, it is a biological/neurological phenomenon that has to do with the time lapse.
local casinos are getting their revenues from local people in their home towns, verses Las Vegas that is more of a vacation spot where people visit. what does that mean? the money that is spent in Vegas is more likely to be disposable income that was intended for entertainment and pleasure, while local gambling is more likely to be taking away from everyday Joe's normal budget. at least that is what they are arguing, but i can see why they would argue that.
about poor people. i have seen several research/poll results showing that people that gamble in local casinos are usually lower income people. there are less rich people gambling in local casinos. it is really what the simple poll/data collecting is showing, and we can all go look it up. even if the casinos are not targetting them, seems it is them who are ending up in the casino.
about social problems, a city that is near me that recently started a casino, the number of ambulance calls, cases of domestic violence, and number of CPS reports all went up like crazy after the casino opened. i forget the exact numbers, but i think one of those three went up 800%, i forget which one. take your pick--ambulance calls, domestic violence, or child abuse/neglect. that was all mere collection of data based on calls and the dates of the casino opening. very little room for argument/manipulation of numbers there.
there is also reseach that closely links gambling with other problems like alcoholism and domestic violence. but i also forget those numbers.
by the way, the longer a person stays playing in a casino, the more they lose, because the house ALWAYS has a slight advantage, even in "random" games like roulette, let alone blackjack. everyone knows that right?
so, the more ways/venues to gamble, the more a community is pouring it's money into the casino. it is the perfect business if you as me. if i had no heart, i would open a bingo center for seniors right now, because sooner or later, i can milk them all, and there will always be an audience for me to milk. you know that is true right?
so, if the money is actually coming out of everyday Joe's pocket, and Joe might have elderly parents or some kids, maybe Joe should just spend it on them in the first place, instead of him sitting a the slots, and the casinos giving a percentage back to the community.
casinos are not generating revenue, they are taking it from someone/somewhere else, and that somewhere is usually his/her family. wouldn't you say?
by the way, in the state of California more money is spent on gambling that ALL other forms of entertainment COMBINED, including music, sports, and movies. that's right.
but don't worry, like alcohol, not everyone is addicting to gambling, its only the few people. like the few people who are alcoholics. that is why alcohol is still legal. but for the few who do have a gambling problem, i have met people who have lost their homes and their business and have had loan sharks threaten to kill their wife and kids. i have also heard of people who use adult diapers and/or urine catheters (pee bag connected to body) so they could stay at the slot machine without having to leave their lucky spot. that is really disturbing and i wish i did not hear that.
forgot to mention, gambling addicts are the most suicidal, over all other addicts. that is quoted from a guy who owns & runs a rehab for drug and alcohol.
@jeep_jim@xanga - I disagree... as a Christian I can vote my conscience. Are you saying that I can't let my beliefs affect the way I vote? Would you say the same thing to a gay person who is not voting for someone or something because it goes against his or her beliefs? How you vote is up to you. This is also protected by the Constitution. Everyone has a belief system - religious or not. And anyone is entitled to vote based on that belief system.
nay
@too_pretty_to_die@xanga - Hmmm... I believe in voting for or against what I consider morally wrong. I don't see why Christians are singled out for "pushing their agenda" by the way they vote while gays and animal rights activists are "fighting for a voice" by voting for what they believe in. I wouldn't be pissed off at all if a Buddhist voted for something I disagreed with (for example, no killing of animals) because it's something they believe in.
@mrpine - "Hmmm... I believe in voting for or against
what I consider morally wrong. I don't see why Christians are singled
out for "pushing their agenda" by the way they vote while gays and
animal rights activists are "fighting for a voice" by voting for what
they believe in."
i don't believe i have the right to tell a non-Christian what they can and cannot do based on Christian ethics. two gay men marrying on the other side of the country does not affect me... it does not damn me to Hell, or make me a horrible person, regardless of my opinion (i am pro-gay marriage, though). who am i to tell them they cannot?
Christians are singled out because they desire to enforce policies that affect non-Christians. activists of gay rights and animal rights are not fighting for policies that force anyone into anything.
"I wouldn't be pissed off at all if a Buddhist voted
for something I disagreed with (for example, no killing of animals)
because it's something they believe in."
so i take it you'd be fine with living in a non-Christian theocracy?