District of Columbia sparks online gambling debate

The District of Columbia is continuing it’s push toward legalized online casino games for D.C. residents in the face of considerable political headwinds.  Apparently the D.C. Lottery is already looking to staff the operation running advertisements for various positions including a Bingo Chat Moderator so from their perspective it’s all systems go.

The headwinds – the Department of Justice, federal lawmakers, corporate interests lobbying for federal I-gaming regulation and of course the anti-online gambling lobby will only become stronger as they (D.C. Lottery) get closer to getting a product up and running.  Will it happen?  Who knows.  Anyone watching developments in online gambling policy in the US would say that the only certainty there is uncertainty.

One thing is for sure though; the District of Columbia have sparked plenty of debate as to whether regulated online gambling is right or wrong, both morally and economically for America.  Does the greater good – expected economic benefit out-weight the inevitable social cost of financial hardship for a percentage problem gamblers?

No surprises where I stand on this debate. I run a gambling website and enjoy playing casino games.  I have both feet planted squarely on the ‘FOR’ side.  Mainly based on libertarian considerations rather than the utilitarian question posed above.  I just simply want the right to involve myself in a pastime I enjoy responsibly.

Both the Huffington Post (article here) and Washington Post  (article here) ran editorials prompted by the D.C. situation and touching on these questions today.  As often seems to be the case, drugs and prostitution were joined to the debate on legalization as if they are close cousins of gambling…

“Gambling and drug use are personal choices of an individual...

“If I want to play blackjack for an hour and smoke marijuana, that should be my choice…

“Oh, yea. Gambling, prostituti­on, marijuana (preferabl­y the ‘medical’ variety) are the way to go. Seems the degree of the ‘sin’ is in inverse proportion to the revenue raised by the governing body…

Not sure why this is the case.  Very different pursuits enjoyed by very different people I would have thought.

Now, if you’ll excuse me I need to smoke a couple of cones, get a few hands of blackjack in and then make it to the brothel before closing time!