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Opponents of legalizing online casinos have attempted to take the moral high ground in the argument.  Their argument comes from the belief that gambling is the source of all sorts of social ill and that the wide accessibility of online casinos will only exacerbate those problems.

The primary establishments that oppose regulating online casinos are social conservative organizations and professional sports leagues.  The conservatives are primarily concerned with the affect online casinos will have on the family.  The concern of the professional sports leagues is a little more unfounded.  Sports leagues believe that legalizing online casinos will somehow lead to more fixed matches.  The argument does not make sense because legalizing online casinos and legalizing online sports betting are two very different concepts.

“There's something to be said for people having to get in their car and actually go to a casino,” said Chad Hill, a gambling analyst for Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian organization.

“If you have this available in your living room and it's accessible 24/7 . . . this is like the perfect storm for addiction.”

John Pappas, the executive director of the Poker Players Alliance, has completely different take on the subject.  He, by no means, disregards the social ills related to gambling and casinos.  With that in mind he believes regulating online casinos to be the best way to protect against problem gambling.

“As with anything, people abuse it -- online shopping, eating, drinking, smoking,” said Pappas.  

“Playing poker is not immune to vice, but we truly believe that the best way of addressing problem gaming is to license and regulate the industry, not drive it underground.”

 

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