Casino Gambling

Casino Gambling

       Casino gambling is a subject that receives mixed opinions. There are some individuals who love it and some who hate it. This dichotomy of feelings occurs in society for many issues. These same attitudes exist when discussing abortion, steroids in sports, movies, unions, and many other controversial topics. Casino gaming is viewed as entertainment. It is not forced upon anyone. Those against the existence of casinos and gaming are opposed citing the potential for an addiction to gambling, an attraction of crime, and other bad influences.  

       I find it interesting that movies are produced with a variety of ratings from G to R to pornographic without a movement to eliminate movies. People go to movies for entertainment. Nobody forces them to attend and see the film. Once they see the movie, they love it, hate it, or are indifferent. There is no prohibition on movies because of the possibility that some people may hate it. Some movies may even advance ideas that can addict its audience to smoking, sex without marriage, drugs, and life styles that are not in the mainstream of society.

       The comment in the last paragraph about movies applies to casino gambling. No one forces you to go to a casino. You go for its entertainment value. Just as the movies may result in an addiction to something, the possibility of becoming addicted to gambling exists. However, most people can visit a casino, gamble, and accept the results of winning or losing without being addicted. For casinos with celebrity entertainment such as in Las Vegas, some people go to see the shows and never gamble at all. Winning or losing at casino gaming is like loving or hating a movie. When you enter a casino to gamble, you have no idea if you will leave a winner or loser. If you lose, it is your cost for entertainment. If you hate a movie, you don’t ask to have your money refunded. The casino provides the facility to gamble. They do not force you to gamble.

       Casinos do make a profit. They have a right to make a profit just like any business. If you decide to gamble, you should do your homework and evaluate which games provide less of an advantage for the casino. Read and educate yourself on how to play a casino  game intelligently. Learn about money management techniques. Once you are prepared to play a casino game, your knowledge of the game and money management skills will allow you to have fun, minimize your losses, and sometimes be a winner.

       I have found that casino craps is a game for which the casino advantage is small. I can play craps for a short period of time, enjoy the excitement of the game, and afford myself the possibility to win. My experiences and strategies can be found in my book, Craps 101, which can be found on my website, www.michaelskaffphd.com.

       Casinos provide many jobs and do pay a great amount of taxes to local and state government. They provide another entertainment possibility in addition to the conventional ones. I believe that if you dislike or view casinos as a negative influence in a community, you need not participate in their entertainment. Casinos do not force you or anyone to visit them. However, for people like me who enjoy a casino game, I am provided with the opportunity to play occasional. Since my home area has casinos, the cost to play is minimal, as I need not fly to Atlantic City or Las Vegas to play.

        It is naïve to think that gambling will go away if there were no casinos. I would think that a majority of the population has made a gambling wager of some kind.  There are state lotteries everywhere. When sporting events take place involving football, basketball, or hockey, there is waging taking place between individuals or groups of people. People like to gamble. Casinos just provide another avenue for people who like to gamble.

        Those of us who like to gamble occasionally love the existence of the casino. Casinos are not for everyone. Those who hate them or are opposed to them have a right to their opinion. However, so do those in favor of casinos and casino gambling. As in most controversial discussions, there are no winners or losers. Each side of an issue believes in their position. I see more positives than negatives in casino gambling.