| Online gambling websites have grown around the world, fuelling more debate between those who enjoy gaming and those fiercely opposed. Now that public hearings concerning the proposed $500-million Vancouver casino have begun, we are certain to hear all of the arguments, both for and against gambling, that have been debated throughout the world and throughout time. And that’s no exaggeration: Gambling has existed in every culture and throughout history -- in fact, there is evidence that gambling was popular among pre-historic societies, dating as far back as 40,000 years. Although many religious groups oppose gambling, the practice, in fact, arose from religious rituals. According to David Schwartz’s Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling, the practice of casting lots -- throwing various objects like nuts, seeds and pebbles -- was popular in antiquity in both the Eastern and Western worlds. Lots were originally cast as a form of divination -- as a way of predicting the future, of the will of the gods -- but people eventually began betting on the outcome, and hence gambling was born. The practice of casting lots, whose modern equivalent is shooting dice, was popular throughout the ancient world, including in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), Persia (Iran), Egypt, India and China. People in all of these countries also bet on animal fights, a practice that unfortunately remains popular in many parts of the world today. There is also evidence that many of these countries enacted laws prohibiting at least some forms of gambling. Gambling was also present at the dawn of the Western world -- in fact, according to ancient Greek myth, it was responsible for the dawn of the world, as Zeus, Poseidon and Hades cast lots to divide up the universe. The Greek people followed suit, with casting lots becoming popular, along with betting on animal fights and on the Olympics. The Ancient Romans kept the tradition alive, betting on dice, animal and gladiator contests, and many Roman emperors were among the most serious gamblers. Similarly, many kings got a piece of the action during the Middle Ages, though some managed to outlaw various forms of gambling while simultaneously engaging in them. One could even say gambling helped spur the Enlightenment, as probability theory was developed largely as a result of kings wishing to improve their gambling results. Moreover, gambling helped both European colonization efforts and rebellions against the British Crown. This brief history suggests that gambling has always been a pervasive aspect of human culture, and this is so despite the fact that efforts to outlaw it have been almost as pervasive. The popularity of gambling is also in evidence in Canada. Aboriginals were found playing games of chance when Europeans first arrived in North America, and while the Criminal Code banned all forms of gambling 400 years later (1992), today gambling seems bigger than ever. According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, net revenues from government-run lotteries, video lottery terminals and casinos rose fourfold to $11.8 billion in 2003 from $2.7 billion on 1992. Since then, Internet gambling has exploded, making it easy for people to gamble in the privacy of their own homes. Naturally, this has many people concerned, since in the long run, gambling is a losing proposition for everyone but the house. There is an additional concern that about 4.6 per cent of gamblers are addicted to gambling. Of which, 0.9 per cent are categorized as serious addicts, a condition that is on the rise in B.C. Those who oppose gambling therefore suggest that by permitting casinos and other forms of gambling, we are placing vulnerable people at great risk -- including the risk of suicide -- and we are also risking the development of more problem gamblers. So anti-gambling advocates argue that all gambling should be outlawed, despite its popularity throughout history. In response, those who support legalized gambling note that revenues from government-run operations are typically earmarked for worthy causes, such as health care and education. They further stress that such operations can be run responsibly so that problem gamblers are identified and provided with help, in contrast to underground sites that don’t care what happens to their players. Nevertheless, this argument is often considered fatalistic, in that it assumes there will always be problem gamblers, so the best thing is to ensure that they can be identified and helped. It’s not clear if problem gamblers are inevitable, but what is clear is that with the Internet, gambling is easier than ever, but harder than ever to stop. Indeed, despite the best efforts of the U.S. government, poker websites remain enormously popular among Americans, and many are in fact owned by Americans. History suggests gambling is inevitable, which weighs in favour of those who advocate that we ought to have responsible gambling centres rather than driving them all underground. Whatever the approach, it’s important that we hear all points of view, and we debate them openly. That’s why public hearings on the proposed casino are crucial, as is continued public discussion on the history and future of gambling. | |
