How the Controversy Over the Existence of Casinos Resulted in Regulation

Casinos are never without controversy, even in the freest of communities. There were always two opposing camps given his gambling nature. Gambling, represented by casinos, is a series of processes of betting money in games. And although every game is different and “the role of luck” takes its share, still the essence of all gambling games is about luck (and bookie engineering to one degree or another).

One camp has to emphasize the potential velocity of money in the local gambling industry and the impact on residents in the area where a casino is located. Meanwhile, another camp will oppose it on grounds of morality and how gambling can harm many people (not limited to players) in the short and long term. You could find users discussing about this topic in websites like Reddit.

Today is a day when the Internet dominates and almost no aspect of human life is left unaffected, including how people make money. Gambling can be classified as a way for people to make money although some players consider it a way for them to entertain themselves. However, it is not completely wrong because “gambling is in human DNA”.

We are not discussing Blackjack, Slot Machines, Poker, and so on. They are types of games but deep behind them lies the “natural human desire to try luck”. Naturally, in certain situations humans like uncertainty which might generate enormous profits. Casino games are only a facilitator for this primitive desire.

Online gambling is now dominating because of its convenience, and just like “conventional gambling”, it is not free from controversies and direct and indirect influences on the community. The community in question is not just a local community but a much wider community because the Internet eliminates some geographical boundaries but follows each countries laws. There are many online gambling sites, for example, Wink Slots which can be accessed with just a few clicks and access a safe slots website.

Controversy

Both physical and online casinos must be regulated because they collect funds from the public (players). The setup of a physical casino is to some extent easier but sometimes field factors make them more difficult to set up than online casinos. The most violent recent physical casino controversy can perhaps be represented by Matt Bevin’s statement in 2019. He was the governor of Kentucky at the time.

Bevin spoke at length but the point is every night someone’s life and their family are ruined in the casino. He was opposed by former Attorney General Andy Beshear in the next election because of that statement. Beshear, in contrast to Bevin, actually boosted the casino industry, both offline and online, because it accommodated a large number of people for jobs and more importantly, supplemented the retirement fund of the State of Kentucky which was currently in an unhealthy situation. It seems that more Kentucky people think that the financial gains brought by the casinos outweigh the negatives.

The conflict between Bevin and Beshear is one example but there are many others. One thing is certain, both parties support the existence of regulation of the casino industry which includes the aspects it influences. Any controversy, no matter what the outcome, pushes for government regulation of casinos. Here are some aspects that are regulated:

Justice

No one likes an unfair game, except for those who are responsible for the injustice. Justice is simple in gambling games; Every player has the same chance of winning and there is no broker engineering to “beat” players intentionally. Yes, the dealer is always profitable, but not the profits that are achieved in ways that are not agreed upon by all parties. How to ensure a casino operates honestly and fairly? Of course, it has to be supervised and fortunately, there are several casino regulatory bodies each of which has licenses that are not easy to obtain, or in other words, every casino that applies for a license has to prove that it is working to the standards required/set. One of the recognized standards is Return to Player, abbreviated as RTP. Basically, RTP describes what percentage of the distribution of funds collected to players and casinos. Recognized licenses require an RTP of over 90%. This means that only 10 percent of the total money involved (in the game) will be profitable for the casino.

Security

Online casinos must be safe from third-party illegal access. Casinos with an official license are required not to share data with third parties illegally. Violation of that can lead to serious bans and lawsuits. Online casinos go further in securing access to funds from “third-party interference” by partnering with legal online payment platform providers such as Venmo or PayPal. This payment platform owned by Elon Musk (PayPal) is known as an online payment platform that is very safe and difficult to “break into”.

Restrictions based on age

Each state has its own restrictions on casino games. Limits are definitely easier in conventional casinos but in the online version, it’s more difficult. To be sure, there are limitations that are attempted. Depending on where the player lives, age restrictions may vary from state to state. Mostly, regardless of whether it’s offline or online, 21 years is the minimum age. In the US, 21 is considered the age when people are considered capable of thinking “adultly”. Thus the decision to gamble at the age of 21 and over is considered not a hasty decision by “immature individuals”.

Although it is assumed that cheating online casinos is easier, in real situations every player is required to fill in their social security number, photo ID, full address, and other information which will be confirmed later. It is possible to create a fake account but day by day it is getting more and more difficult.

In the end, every regulation is the result of government intervention and there may not be a true win-win situation, but every regulation that is made basically aims to minimize the negative social impact on the players and those closest to them.