As you may know, gambling is currently illegal in most forms in Texas. However, other states have legalized various types of gambling, such as casinos and online betting platforms. Some argue that legalizing gambling could bring significant economic benefits, such as increased tourism, job creation, and tax revenue. It could also provide a source of entertainment for residents who enjoy gambling responsibly.On the other hand, opponents express concerns about the potential negative impacts of gambling, such as addiction, financial problems, and increased crime rates. They argue that the social costs may outweigh the economic benefits.
What do you think? Should Texas consider legalizing gambling, or do you believe the current ban should remain in place? Let’s talk about it.. #letstalkaboutit
Rob Gonzales: “Legalize marijuana first. There are too many people already addicted to gambling at the stores with “legal” 8 liners.”
Carolina Roberts: “Unfortunately, Abbott needs to be voted out first, he will not approve of legalizing anything that doesn’t facilitate him. Like gambling or Marijuana, or lowering taxes… nothing, unless it’s a border issue that’s been ongoing for hundreds of years.”
Sticks Gaitan: “My belief is to leave the ban in place. If not, things will spiral out of control. People will gamble no matter what. Control is key.”
Kenneth Raymond: “We are better without it!”
Mark Lambert: ‘Every state that touches Texas has gambling. The ones who are against Texas having gambling are all those states! They thrive on Texas gamblers traveling to these states. And they lobby $$$ against Texas ever having legalized gambling.. Follow The Money!!”
Michelle: “They’ve tried that, but it didn’t work because it turns out that trying to legislate away human nature and human problems doesn’t work. When you ban stuff, you create a vacuum and someone will always move to fill it (usually at a greater cost to society).Instead of banning stuff, you manage by exception. If someone has an alcohol addiction, you don’t ban alcohol for everyone, you get the person who has the problem, help.We know that gambling is an issue with some people who have an addictive nature so you implement policies that work to exclude those folk or you make sure that they’re supported.Some examples: In New Zealand, problem gamblers can have themselves banned from Casinos and venues with Pokie Machines. There have been failures to identify folk but casinos are now installing facial recognition technology to better identify people who have a gambling exclusion order and we’re starting to see results.It’s better to manage than to ban. If you manage, you still retain control (and you can tax it and use those taxes to mitigate any damage) but if you ban it, you hand over the reins (and the profit) to your society’s underbelly.”
Gabriel Sita: ”Gambling is a controversial issue and there are valid arguments on both sides of the debate. Some people believe that gambling should be illegal because it can lead to negative consequences such as financial problems, addiction, and social problems. There is evidence that gambling can lead to negative outcomes for a small minority of people, particularly those who are vulnerable or have underlying mental health issues. On the other hand, others argue that gambling can be a form of entertainment and can provide economic benefits, such as job creation and tax revenue. Many countries have regulated gambling industries that provide a controlled and safe environment for people to gamble in. These regulations can include measures such as age limits, responsible gambling initiatives, and measures to prevent money laundering and other illegal activities.Ultimately, the decision about whether gambling should be legal or illegal is a complex one and depends on a variety of factors. It is up to each individual society to decide what is in its best interests and to put in place appropriate regulations and safeguards as needed.”
Ivan Shopov: “Honestly, I love gambling, but I know that humanity does not benefit from it. We could all do without it and focus on more important things like flying space rockets into space and colonizing Mars. So let’s say we do ban it. Actually, many countries have banned many forms of gambling and only a few state monopolies exist (like lotteries). Turns out that banning gambling leads to black market filling the void. With the intent of the internet also, people can gamble easily. So long story short – no it should not be banned. It should be made legal and rules enforced. I believe that automatic deposit limits should be in place at 5% the national average salary; there should be tools for banning yourself from casinos (altogether like a black list) and we should tax gambling operators and fund programs that help problem gamblers. Prohibition usually does more harm than good. History has shown us that we should learn and stop “banning” things. What we should ban however is advertising. That’s a thing I am all about. And ban the advertisement of any type of event inside a casino hall – doesn’t matter if it is a famous singer giving a concert etc. No publicity should be given to Casinos and all brick and mortar casinos should be required to have bland boring exterior facades with no flashing letters etc. This kills the business somewhat and should be considered when the tax regime is created of course.”
