GAMBLING - THE ISSUES AND POLICY DECISIONS INVOLVED IN THE TREND TOWARD LEGALIZATION - A STATEMENT OF THE CURRENT ANACHRONISM OF BENIGN PROHIBITION

• NCJ Number: 45667
• Author(s): P HELSING
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 19 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Cmssn on the Review of the National Policy Toward Gambling
• Corporate Author: Cmssn on the Review of the National Policy Toward Gambling
• Sale Source: National Technical Information Service; National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE PRESENT COEXISTENCE OF LEGALIZED FORMS OF GAMBLING WITH MINIMAL ENFORCEMENT OF REMAINING ANTI-GAMBLING LAWS IS VIEWED AS QUESTIONABLE, AND MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION IN FORMING NEW LEGAL STRUCTURES ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

TWO APPROACHES ARE CONSIDERED PREFERABLE TO THE CURRENT PRACTICE OF LEGALIZING SOME FORMS OF GAMBLING FOR REVENUE WHILE ONLY PARTIALLY ENFORCEMENT EXISTING LAWS AGAINST OTHERS. IN ONE APPROACH, GAMBLING WOULD BE LEGALIZED FOR THE EXPRESSED PURPOSE OF COMPETING WITH ILLEGAL OPERATIONS RATHER THAN FOR RAISING TAX REVENUE. IN THE OTHER APPROACH, IT WOULD BE DETERMINED THAT REVENUE GENERATION THROUGH LEGAL GAMBLING IS DESIRABLE AND NECESSARY, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAINST ILLEGAL GAMES WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED. GAMBLING LAWS WOULD BE REWRITTEN TO KEEP THE ILLEGAL OPERATORS FROM EXPLOITING THE LUCRATIVE MARKET OF NEW GAMBLERS DEVELOPED THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN THE LEGAL GAMES. THE PRESENT HIGH COST OF GAMBLING INVESTIGATIONS AND THE UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE DEGREE OF SUCCESS OF ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS IN CURTAILING THE HUGE ILLEGAL GAMBLING ENTERPRISES ARE CITED. THE OUTLAWING OF GAMBLING BECAUSE CORRUPTION HAS ATTENDED IT IN THE PAST IS CONSIDERED ILLOGICAL. LEGISLATIVE DEALING WITH SPECIFIC ABUSES IS DEEMED MORE ADVISABLE. THE PROS AND CONS OF LEGALIZED GAMBLING AS A GENERATOR OF REVENUE FOR GOVERNMENT ARE ALSO CONSIDERED. (RCB)