Argument on Online Gambling

Initially gambling or betting starts with a curious and an apparently innocuous orientation for every individual but in most of the cases it tends to become an unhealthy addiction resulting in serious consequences. Whether it is the case of online gambling or real life betting, it becomes a matter of concern when it strains human relationships and most importantly, causes financial disaster (Gainsbury, 2012). With the world increasingly being digital, online betting has become the present rage among the gamblers, as it is impracticable to monitor innumerable netizens on regular basis. However, realizing the need to satisfy the impulse of gamblers, Singapore government has shown green light to the two lottery operators in the country to offer their clients the option of online gambling (Kotwani & Chia, 2016). The essay attempts to form an opinion on to what extent this decision of Singapore government is justified weighing the pros and cons of online gambling practice. The term online gambling originated with the trend of betting availing the open online casinos. The invasive usage of internet has enabled the gamblers to enjoy unhindered betting on the net and the establishment of companies providing security to online transactions has made gambling viable more than ever (COR160 Essential Academic Writing Skills, 2017). Due to its easy accessibility, online gambling produces huge revenues every year, which happens to form a considerable part of national income of many countries. Concentrating on the special case of Singapore, where online gambling has been legalized through two lottery-operating organizations, it becomes essential to investigate what possible moral, ethical and social implications the decision can have. With the legalization of the online gambling sites, the inclination towards betting is bound to be high among people and their moral values may face an encroachment of the adrenaline rush for gambling (Lin, 2016). Addiction to online gambling contains pernicious impact on the moral sides of individuals. One common violation of human morals can be observed in degrading relationships; the temperament of regular gamblers is likely to become unpredictable, much as the game itself and their behavior with other persons also violate the rules of manners. Besides, with the growing addiction to online gambling, people are being found neglecting their job and spending time on gambling sites even at the time of work (Campbell, 2015). The worst moral vio lation happens when gamblers, if faced with heavy financial loss, tend to steal money or forcefully take away money from household expenses. On the other hand, online gambling offers a rather complex concern regarding gambling addiction and ethics. Especially in the case of online betting, the addiction is supplied with convenience and comfort of home and this is believed to diminish the gamblers’ ability to defy the impulse of earning money with minimum investment. In addition, the legal stamp that has now on these activities will embolden the gamblers to pursue their unethical addiction (Kotwani & Chia, 2016). Research on this matter further supports the view that online gambling is likely to fascinate a person more promptly than the real life casinos can ever do.   Concentrating on social impacts of online gambling, it does not have much difference with the insidious social implications of real life gambling. Both of these have seen to give rise in general criminality in relations to street crimes and the ones that are more violent (Smethurst, 2014). Online gambling, having green signal from the government can encompass two implications. In the first place, this legalized form of gambling is expected to curb down underground mischief and the ruthlessness of the loan sharks as well as this accepted form of gambling will also resist the illegal bookies to encash the impulse of gamblers and gather round their ill-gotten gains (COR160 Essential Academic Writing Skills, 2017). However, the threat of adverse socio-economic consequence of this decision will always remain there. Singapore government’s recent decision of legalizing online gambling has given rise to several controversies, some standing for the decision while some against. The strongest point that has been raised time and again to support this decision is economic; it is an unavoidable fact that legal form of betting sustains a country’s economy by generating more amount of taxes that the government intends to spend on noble and charitable causes (Horridge, 2015). Thus, the loss of tax evasion that Singapore used to suffer earlier will not be the case from now on. Apart from this, online casinos are essentially entitled to rigorous moderations and have to go through strict norms in order to be legalized. This maintains the game play to remain fair, random and un-exploitative. Legal online gambling also ensures the financial safety of the punters whereas in many of the illegal online sites the clients have the experience of being robbed of their credit card details (Statutes.agc.go v.sg, 2014).   Ã‚   Despite all these points well raised by the Singapore government in support of their decision, they cannot evade the destructive aspects that online gambling, when legalized entails. Firstly, this will give rise to the number of problem gamblers in an unprecedented rate as well as social and domestic violence rate in the nation is likely to see considerable growth (Lin, 2016). Among the unfavorable economic impacts, the wealth distribution in society will be unevenly distributed. Besides, study reveals that in the regions where gambling has been legalized, suicide rates have gone higher and an overall depression prevails on the mental health of individuals associated with it. In addition, if online gambling is permitted small recreational and entertainment providing business establishments will suffer. Lastly, there is no denying to the fact that legalizing any form of gambling will increase chances of bankruptcy and most importantly, it is synonymous to encourage countrymen to be in volved in something amoral and unethical (Gainsbury, 2012). Having discussed all the pros and cons of the Singapore government’s decision to allow the two lottery operators Turf Club and Singapore Pools to offer online gambling, it is undeniable that there are more disadvantages than advantages. Admitting the fact that among all the unethical activities in which people tend to become downright involved, online gambling is apparently the most harmless of them all, the other pernicious possibilities of this decision cannot be avoided. Legalized online gambling may strengthen the country’s economy and satisfy the impulse of gamblers but it makes people most vulnerable by taking them into the spiral of addiction and thus, destructing their lives without them being aware.   COR160 Essential Academic Writing Skills. (2017) (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://file:///C:/Users/admin/Downloads/1312552_163296938_COR160Jan17TMA02%20(1).pdf Gainsbury, S. (2012). Internet gambling. New York: Springer. Horridge, K. (2015). Benefits of Legalized Gambling; The Economic To The Social. Casino.org Blog. Retrieved 13 April 2017, from https://www.casino.org/blog/gambling-and-the-law-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ridiculous/ Kotwani, M., & Chia, L. (2016). Government exempts Singapore Pools, Turf Club from online gambling ban. Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 13 April 2017, from https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/government-exempts-singapore-pools-turf-club-from-online/3162930.html Lin, M. (2016). Concerns that legalised online gambling may lead to more problem gambling and social ills. The Straits Times. Retrieved 13 April 2017, from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/concerns-that-legalised-online-gambling-may-lead-to-more-problem-gambling-and-social-ills Remote Gambling Act 2014. (2014). Statutes.agc.gov.sg. Retrieved 13 April 2017, from https://statutes.agc.gov.sg/aol/search/display/view.w3p;page=0;query=DocId%3A%222b7199b4-0337-4dc1-9e6d-b0e7c9c076d5%22%20Status%3Apublished%20Depth%3A0%20TransactionTime%3A20160825000000;rec=0 Campbell, J. (2015). Law Enforcement Implications of Illegal Online Gambling. Retrieved from https://www.fbi.gov/news/testimony/law-enforcement-implications-of-illegal-online-gambling Smethurst, E. (2014). The Social Impact of Problem Gambling. Gordon Moody Association. Retrieved 13 April 2017, from https://www.gordonmoody.org.uk/blog/the-social-impact-of-problem-gambling