Almost every culture in history has had a positive or negative attitude toward gambling. For example, in ancient Greece, gambling was a popular pastime. In medieval Europe, foot races, cockfighting and wrestling matches were popular. In modern Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands and England, gambling is legal.
Gambling can be defined as a game that involves wagering something of value on a random event. There are three basic elements involved: the prize, the risk and the chance of winning. However, gambling is not an investment, since it does not guarantee a profit. In addition, gamblers often use money earmarked for other expenses, which makes their financial situation worse. Whether a game is legal or illegal depends on who profits from the activity.
The United States has a mixed history of gambling. During the nineteenth century, organized crime syndicates flourished in Nevada and other Western states. During Prohibition, massive bootlegging rings were created. In the early 20th century, a conservative moral stance took hold in the United States. During this period, many people who had a white evangelical Protestant background viewed gambling as a morally wrong activity. Historians refer to this period as the Great Awakening.
During this time, a surge of evangelical Christianity spread throughout the Western world. It also swept through the North American colonies and England. Presidents Andrew Jackson and Andrew Scott were president during this period. While these men had different views on gambling, they were both committed to the idea that it was a moral issue.
The 19th-century Gambling Boom was short lived. By the end of the nineteenth century, gambling was considered unacceptable by most people. Lawmakers struggled to define it and decide which activities were acceptable. In the early 20th century, casinos began to appear in several states. There were also state lotteries. In 1900, federal law shut down the state lotteries. There were a few exceptions, such as Atlantic City, New Jersey, which had its own legal casino.
After Prohibition, organized crime syndicates switched their focus to gambling. They developed massive bootlegging rings and became very powerful. Some of the first to see the potential of Nevada were the organized crime syndicates in New York and Chicago. They realized that they could exploit the “destination tourists” by placing casinos in one location. These gambling establishments were subsequently pressured to close.
As Prohibition was lifted in the 1920s, organized crime syndicates started to focus on gambling again. The first commercial casino to address problem gambling was Harrah’s Entertainment. During this time, the company instituted Operation Bet Smart. They also began promoting responsible gaming.
In the 1980s, states began to set up programs for compulsive gamblers. During this period, researchers estimated that 1.8 million Americans were active gamblers. The American Psychiatric Association classified pathological gambling as a mental health disorder in 1980. The term pathological was originally used to describe those who were uncontrollable, but the term is also applied to those who were unable to resist impulses to gamble. It was listed under disorders of impulse control.
