GAMBLING - A NATIONAL PASTIME?

• NCJ Number: 46801
• Author(s): C COLBY
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 0 pages
• Corporate Author: Current Affairs Films
• Sale Source: Current Affairs Films; Not Available Through National Institute of Justice/NCJRS Document Loan Program
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. 19 MINUTES, COLOR, 1978 THE KIT CONTAINS AN AUDIO CASSETTE, A 74 FRAME FILMSTRIP, AND A 10-PAGE DISCUSSION GUIDE

Annotation

PROBLEMS RELATED TO GAMBLING AND COMPLUSIVE GAMBLERS ARE DISCUSSED IN THIS FILMSTRIP AND CASSETTE AUDIOVISUAL PROGRAM.

Abstract

GAMBLING IS DEFINED AS BETTING ON THE OUTCOME OF AN UNCERTAIN SITUATION. PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GAMBLE FIND MANY WAYS TO DO IT, RANGING FROM BINGO TO LOTTERIES TO CASINO BETTING. PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES INDICATE THAT PEOPLE ARE BOUND TO GAMBLE, WHETHER IT IS LEGAL OR ILLEGAL. LEGALIZED GAMBLING DIVERTS TO THE STATE MONEY WHICH WOULD NORMALLY HAVE GONE TO BOOKMAKING OR NUMBERS OPERATIONS OR OTHER FORMS OF ILLEGAL GAMBLING. SINCE 1960, MANY STATES HAVE STARTED LOTTERIES AND OFF-TRACK BETTING IN ORDER TO INCREASE REVENUE. CASINO GAMBLING WAS LEGALIZED IN ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., TO HELP REVITALIZE THE RESORT INDUSTRY. A SURVEY CONDUCTED IN THE MID-1970'S SHOWED THAT OVER 68 PERCENT OF THE ADULT POPULATION HAD GAMBLED AT SOME TIME. WITH THIS PERCENTAGE SO HIGH, GAMBLING APPARENTLY COULD BE LEGALIZED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WITHOUT MUCH OPPOSITION. ALTHOUGH GAMBLING APPEARS TO BE A HARMLESS FORM OF RECREATION, THERE ARE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. COMPULSIVE GAMBLERS CLAIM THAT IT IS ADDICTIVE, LIKE HEROIN OR ALCOHOL. SEVERAL STORIES ABOUT COMPULSIVE GAMBLERS ARE DISCUSSED, WITH ATTENTION TO HOW IT SOMETIMES LEADS PEOPLE TO WHITE COLLAR CRIMES. GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS ESTIMATES THAT THERE ARE OVER 9 MILLION COMPULSIVE GAMBLERS IN THE U.S. CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A PROFESSIONAL GAMBLER. VERY FEW PEOPLE HAVE EVER DEVELOPED A SYSTEM FOR WINNING, AND WHEN THEY DO, THEY ARE GENERALLY BLACKLISTED FROM CASINOS. IF GAMBLING IS LEGALIZED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS AND THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON COMPULSIVE GAMBLING ASK THAT SOME MONEY BE PUT ASIDE TO HELP THOSE WHO BECOME COMPULSIVE GAMBLERS. OFF-TRACK BETTING HAS CUT INTO THE ILLEGAL BOOKMAKING OPERATIONS, BUT STATE LOTTERIES HAVE HAD LITTLE EFFECT ON THE NUMBERS RACKET. MANY GAMBLERS WHO HAVE BECOME HOOKED THROUGH LEGAL GAMBLING GO ON TO ILLEGAL FORMS BECAUSE THE WINNINGS FROM LEGAL GAMBLING OPERATIONS ARE TAXABLE. A DISCUSSION GUIDE IS INCLUDED WITH THE SET. (BAC)