Short History of Gambling in the United States of America and Comparison of Gambling Criteria
Short History of Gambling in the United States of America According to the Commission on the Review of National Policy toward Gambling, gambling in the United States grossed over $40 billion dollars in 1995 (Dunstan, 1997). Professor I. Nelson Rose describes three waves of gambling during the history of the colonies and the United States. The first of these waves began during the start of this great nation and lasted until the mid-1800s. The second wave was at the end of our Civil War and lasted until the early 1900s. Finally, the last wave started during the Great Depression and is still going strong today. I believe a fourth wave has already commenced with new technology paving the way. The new technology consists of, first and foremost, the internet and also any Wi-Fi abled device. Those who use the internet have already found out that this technology is hard to regulate and hence the added rush or high the gamblers are able to extract from it.
First Wave: From the 1600s to the mid-1800s
1. The Puritans attitude toward gaming and play was adopted. They also outlawed the possession of cards, dice, dancing, and singing.
2. They softened their stance the following year to allow recreation, but not as a trade.
3. In other colonies, where the Puritans did not have control, the English attitude toward gambling prevailed.
4. The English believed gambling to be harmless, and even called it a gentleman’s game.
5. Gambling soon becomes a vice with much risk taking.
6. Lotteries were permitted by the Crown to raise money for the colonial venture, with the proceeds helping to establish the early Universities like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.
7. The first race track was built on Long Island in 1965.
8. By the early 1800s, big fancy casinos were established in the Republic, and gambling in the lower Mississippi Valley became a legitimate enterprise.
9. During the 1830s, professional gamblers were under scrutiny for preying on the unwitting. Ironically,
First Wave: From the 1600s to the mid-1800s
1. The Puritans attitude toward gaming and play was adopted. They also outlawed the possession of cards, dice, dancing, and singing.
2. They softened their stance the following year to allow recreation, but not as a trade.
3. In other colonies, where the Puritans did not have control, the English attitude toward gambling prevailed.
4. The English believed gambling to be harmless, and even called it a gentleman’s game.
5. Gambling soon becomes a vice with much risk taking.
6. Lotteries were permitted by the Crown to raise money for the colonial venture, with the proceeds helping to establish the early Universities like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.
7. The first race track was built on Long Island in 1965.
8. By the early 1800s, big fancy casinos were established in the Republic, and gambling in the lower Mississippi Valley became a legitimate enterprise.
9. During the 1830s, professional gamblers were under scrutiny for preying on the unwitting. Ironically,
Bibliography: Ciarrocchi, J. W. (2001). Counseling Problem Gamblers. San Diego, California: Academic Press. McCown, W. G. (2007). Treating Gambling Problems. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Dunstan, R. (1997). Gambling in California. CA: California Research Bureau, California State Library. http://www.library.ca.gov/crb/97/03/chapt2.html