Ethics

Why does anyone consider gambling unethical?

Comments

I doubt many people would consider low-level gambling unethical in itself, say, entering an office pool. There are stronger objections to state-sponsored gambling and to the extent to which states have become addicted to revenue so generated. The objection derives from the extremely regressive form of taxation such an addiction constitutes. One can then imagine an objection to participation in such a system grounded on its unfairness.

There are, of course, people who do object to any form of gambling on moral grounds. I expect that objection derives from some kind of "slippery slope" concern. Larger scale gambling has been a serious problem in some communities, and so one can understand why someone might think it better simply not to go there.

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