http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/08/business/gamble09.php
It has been explained how advertisers and organizations in the United States enjoy the increased exposure brought to their companies via online internet gambling, but I never thought about businesses overseas. This article discusses how some countries in Asia and Europe have moved gambling to online as to help advertisers make money. In England, the government recently passed legislation to allow online gambling sites to advertise on the television. I do not know if that is legal or not in the United States, but I definitely see some negative implications coming from such a law. For one, exposing gambling to underage individuals who truly do not know the consequences of their actions could be catastrophic.
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I find it the whole online gambling thing a bit disturbing, probably only because someone very close to me was destroyed by gambling. But the fact of the matter is, it is going to happen no matter how hard people try to outlaw it. There are websites that will allow people to place bets on anything. And if kids can find out how to buy perscription drugs on the internet...they sure as hell can figure out how bet on a game.
Perfect example...I was watching our basketball game last Friday night and a friend of mine told me that he was going to place a bet online that Joakim Noah would make at least 3 free throws. It's kind of ridiculous if you think about it. Obviously he was going to make 3 free throws against Jackson St., but it just proves that you can bet on anything and it is not difficult at all.
I'm not sure to what extent these online gambling sites are regulated, but I do know that when I created an account on sportsbook.com I had to prove I was 18. Your gambling account is either linked to a PayPal account in your name or your actual bank account. So there are measures in place to keep underaged kids out of trouble. Now I'm no computer genius, but it sure does seem as if a determined 15-year old could figure out how to beat this system.
Personally, I think that gambling being illegal is hypocrisy at its finest. Someone really needs to explain to me why it's illegal to bet $20 that florida basketball is going to beat butler basketball by more than 10.5 points (yes, that's a real spread as of a couple of days ago), but it's perfectly legal to go into any convenience store and buy 20 scratch off tickets. It seems quite clear to me that if someone wants to gamble, they're going to. These online sites have learned how to beat the system; they hold a physical address on some island in the carribbean, or on an indian reservation, or even in Canada (yes, I actually do remember one being in Canada). It's ridiculous. I think Europe is taking a step in the right direction. Legalize it, thus turning it into any other normal business; allow them to pursue profits through advertising as well, and then tax the heck out of it.
One last thing, Sam's right about being able to gamble on anything; a friend of mine put 10 bucks on Kerry.
Grant
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