NationStates Jolt Archive

There seem to be two threads at the moment about drinking and the age it is appropriate to do it. So what about gambling.

Should it be legal, and if so what would be an appropriate age to allow it?

(it is already legal where I am, but you have to be over 18)

My usual response: completely legal at all ages.

people gamble all the time

but to participate in a gambling business (however you would call casinos and the lottery) id say 18 is a good age. you need a bit of maturity to not be taken advantage of by professionals.

You have to be 21 to even BE in a casino, in Colorado at least.

Rediculous.

Why is personal responsibility seemingly such a hard thing for people to grasp let alone exercise? If you are stupid enough to loose your life savings due to gambling then good on ya, mate! Drinking? If you hurt someone else while drunk you ought to have to be their personal servant until they are better or they die of natural causes. And if you kill someone while drinking then the same consequence but for their surviving family members. That'd be a hell of an incentive to start riding your bike home from the bar.

The legal age should be 18 but with most things that have a "legal age" sticker on them, people will do them before that.

I really don't care about gambling. If people want to waste all of their money on it, then I say let 'em. Though minors really shouldn't be able to do that to their parent's money...so there should probably be something about that. Or at least the amount minors are able to wager.

The legal age should be 18 but with most things that have a "legal age" sticker on them, people will do them before that.

So what is the point of a legal age? in general, and specifically for gambling?

Won 150 large on the Tech-Miami game today.

hehe we could have kiddy casinos where say under 16 could have tables with no minium bet and a max bet of say $10...... or not

Why is personal responsibility seemingly such a hard thing for people to grasp let alone exercise? If you are stupid enough to loose your life savings due to gambling then good on ya, mate! Drinking? If you hurt someone else while drunk you ought to have to be their personal servant until they are better or they die of natural causes. And if you kill someone while drinking then the same consequence but for their surviving family members. That'd be a hell of an incentive to start riding your bike home from the bar.
mostly because its wrong to let a business take advantage of a person just because they are too young to know what they are doing. if you want to gamble with your friends, is there really someone out there who is going to arrest you for it?

there are alot of things that children shouldnt do that is fine for an adult to do. so there are laws regulating them. some, like not having your 7 year old drive, is for their (and our) safety. some, like not letting adults have sex with children, is for their protection.

i dont have a problem with it.

So what is the point of a legal age? in general, and specifically for gambling?



I don't know, so at least they can control it to some extent.

hehe we could have kiddy casinos where say under 16 could have tables with no minium bet and a max bet of say $10...... or not

Yeah. Or just teach kids poker in school, and let them play at home!!!

hehe we could have kiddy casinos where say under 16 could have tables with no minium bet and a max bet of say $10...... or not
Well, I was thinking more around the $100 - $900 range...

Well, I was thinking more around the $100 - $900 range...
per bet?

Yeah. Or just teach kids poker in school,
and how to count cards?!

Yeah. Or just teach kids poker in school, and let them play at home!!!


no money in the kiddy kasino, just age appropriate nick nacks for winning and increasingly painful electric shocks for losing. that way by the time they grow up they will either be good gamblers or be conditioned to run screaming from its mere mention.

no money in the kiddy kasino, just age appropriate nick nacks for winning and increasingly painful electric shocks for losing. that way by the time they grow up they will either be good gamblers or be conditioned to run screaming from its mere mention.

Like it! then the big corporations who run the gambling business will be screwed- Sack me will you, grumble grumble grumble-

mostly because its wrong to let a business take advantage of a person just because they are too young to know what they are doing. if you want to gamble with your friends, is there really someone out there who is going to arrest you for it?

there are alot of things that children shouldnt do that is fine for an adult to do. so there are laws regulating them. some, like not having your 7 year old drive, is for their (and our) safety. some, like not letting adults have sex with children, is for their protection.

i dont have a problem with it.


When you are talking about seven year olds, even up to about age fourteen, I'll agree with you. But up until then don't parents bear the responsibilty for their children? (yes, I know it's actually 18 in the US unless the child emancipates themselves from their parents) I don't know a lot of seven year olds with more then last weeks allowance for a life savings. They generally don't have access to the family fortune or even anything their parents have put in place for their college fund, etc. As for child molesters, that's off topic so I'll cross over to the death penalty vs life in prison thread - this is an offense where, if proven, the offender should just be killed (IMO).

When you are talking about seven year olds, even up to about age fourteen, I'll agree with you. But up until then don't parents bear the responsibilty for their children? (yes, I know it's actually 18 in the US unless the child emancipates themselves from their parents) I don't know a lot of seven year olds with more then last weeks allowance for a life savings. They generally don't have access to the family fortune or even anything their parents have put in place for their college fund, etc. As for child molesters, that's off topic so I'll cross over to the death penalty vs life in prison thread - this is an offense where, if proven, the offender should just be killed (IMO).

That's why my dad placed my bets for me until I was 15!

That's why my dad placed my bets for me until I was 15!


Now that's one kick-ass dad!

Now that's one kick-ass dad!

Until I was 15, then he made me place his bets for him. He did buy me beer for going though!