Sunday, August 5, 2007

Maximize the Benefits and Minimize the Harm

Research shows that governments annually rake in billions of dollars in gambling revenue and use it to fund many good things in society. For example, thousands of volunteer, charitable, and non-profit groups benefit from the billions of dollars in direct revenue that is generated each year. As well, additional contributions to the economy come through employment and indirect revenue such as income taxes paid by those directly employed by gambling-related businesses. However, there's always the risk that individuals and their families are harmed by the affects of a gambling addiction. The question is how can governments maximize the benefits of gambling and minimize the harm? More research is needed into how gambling affects the individual and society in order to answer the question. For example, what is the relationship between gambling attitudes and addictions? Do people gamble for fun or in the hopes of striking it rich? What is the mental attitude of gamblers? People have strong attitudes about gambling from outright banning it to tolerating and regulating it, to what the role of government should be, if any, in gambling. How should government inform the public about the research findings? Who should actually conduct the research? Should tax payers foot the bill? These are questions that need to be answered. The answer seems simple enough. People have two choices either do not gamble period or to assess their own situation to see if they can afford to play and, if so, to play responsibly. That is, remember it is only a game and that the odds are stacked against you. Play for fun and play only what you can afford to lose, play in a group to reduce your cost of playing, and use balanced wheeling systems that guarantee 100% coverage for more cash prizes should your numbers be drawn. Playing in a group encourages people to play responsibly. This is a way to maximize the benefits while reducing the harm caused by irresponsible gambling. See www.playlottofun.com Lotto Fun Lotto Game for 100% guaranteed wheeling systems and how to manage your lottery pool. Play small to win big! Happy playing and good luck!

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