Spreading the Wealth Around: The Positive Side of Gambling

Gambling has forever been counted as one of the foremost ills of society. And for this, gamblers have forever had to suffer through the disgrace that has been bestowed upon their chosen preoccupation.

Above all else, gambling is a form of recreation. One should not forget that fact. The danger is in regarding gambling as a matter of life and death. The gamblers who do just that are the ones who give gambling a bad name. The truth is that these kinds of players only make up a small portion of the entire gambling population, and there really are a lot of gamblers out there that are much more responsible in their dealings.

The bad reputation garnered by gambling really stems from the irresponsible gamblers, which is very unfair to the responsible ones. The latter type enjoy gambling for what it is, a fun recreational activity, and do not delude themselves into believing that they can radically turn their fortunes around with a single win of the jackpot. Nonetheless, the negative perception of gambling persists, and the average person may not realize some of the good works that gambling has actually brought about.

For one thing, the casino industry does its part in battling unemployment by providing jobs for thousands of people. In fact, a staggering 60% of the total work force in Las Vegas is comprised of casino employees. Also, gambling has frequently been employed as a means to raise funds for charity. Bingo games and lotteries are often held for the benefit of some charitable institution, and the proceeds from celebrity poker games are usually donated for humanitarian causes.

Interestingly, there is also the possibility that gambling might also be beneficial to one's health. Studies conducted on senior citizens who engage in gambling activities have found them to be quite healthy for their age. Supposedly, the mental challenge that playing a gambling game provides keeps their mind sharp and their level of excitement and energy high. While one cannot conclude from this that the act of gambling may indeed be responsible for their renewed state of health, this case should at least prove that gambling is not as harmful as most would make it out to be.

Any activity can be skewed for good or bad purposes, and even a beneficial act can be abused and twisted into something damaging. Gambling in itself should not automatically be branded as evil. While its negative points should not be ignored, its positive points should not be overlooked either.