Why Sports Gambling Should Be Legal In America

Las Vegas is known for its awesome nickname, America's playground. From the moment you step off the plane, it is like your senses are 10x what they normally are. You can step 30 ft to the nearest slot machine, put all the money in your pockets in, and let it ride. When you get to the casino at the hotel, there's an entire area dedicated to blowing all your money on the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Lakers, or any other team your heart desires.

But it is illegal nearly everywhere else in the United States. Why?

I won't bore you with all of the history, but at some point in time a judge decided it was in the country's best interest to outlaw sports gambling in the majority of places. Now if you are anywhere in the US you are forced to play online at offshore sites, usually deposit in bitcoin, and play illegally. I ask again... why?

Do we as a county really think making sports gambling illegal is going to stop people from doing it? If we believe that people are wasting their live savings on betting on a fight, has your lawmaker stopped in an average 7-11 recently? How many people live outside their means buying lottery tickets? At this point, the lottery is almost a tax on the poor. Most folks would have better chances of seeing that money again if it was bet on sports.

I will end with this, people who want to gamble on sports are going to do it anyway. Just like people who want to smoke dope, drink under age, pop pills that aren't theirs, and commit all sorts of insignificant crimes. Sports make people happy. Let's let them bet on it.