So where did this wicked sordid habit of gambling all begin? Almost every country has its own form of gambling. Of course, the United States has a great history when it comes to different forms of gambling, both legal and illegal.
It almost seems like the gambling laws are based on the cries of the public. Every once in a while a group of anti gamblers will become vocal and the government will at least turn one ear to them. Then there is a flurry of tightening up of the gambling laws once again.
History tells us that there have been three highpoints in gambling. Here is an overview of one of those gambling significant eras.
1600- middle of 1800’s
Here we have two groups on the opposite side of the gambling fence. The English who didn’t seem to mind gambling on one side and the Puritan’s on the other. You can probably guess by the name “puritan” which side they were on meaning the yea or nay side. At one point not only could you not own, cards, dice or gambling tables you were not allowed to have them in your own home. Things eased a little as long as the gambling was just for fun and not for gain. This was the stance of the Puritan Colonies.
The English colonies had a different view as to them it was a harmless past time which happened to be quite popular. Even as early as back then gambling took the rap for the problems of the colonies. This didn’t stop them though from using lotteries to bail them out of a financial jam.
There was no way that the concept of gambling was going to die. Dice and card games became the norm for entertainment at taverns and roadhouses. Once the 1800’s hit grand Casinos began to arise.
It was at this same time that wealthy gents would travel on the Riverboats. Guess what! It wasn’t long before gambling became the favorite past time while traveling as well. The Capital of Gambling was the infamous New Orleans. A whole new breed of gamblers emerged known as sharps and sharpers renowned for their dishonesty. Not long after the gambling concept took a down turn where once again it was being scrutinized as an evil past time. The Professional gambler was no longer popular. In fact they on more that one occasion came up against some vigilante groups were some lost their lives. All of a sudden being a riverboat gambler didn’t seem so glorious anymore.
The distaste for gambling as a profession was soon turning nasty for those that called themselves a Pro gambler. This became somewhat ironic being as President Jackson himself was considered a compulsive gambler. This was deemed acceptable though as he was a gentleman as opposed to one of those vile crude professional gamblers.
I guess this is one of the few eras of time where the Government actually listened to the people. If you want to know, what happens next then you will just have to read my next article Did The Gambling Industry Become a Whimp?
I think that there are many of us who wish that gambling was a game that wasn’t as restricted as it can be these days. It is absolutely true that there always seems to be some kind of anti gambling group that decides to lobby against it and they always seem to grab the attention of the government and yet when people who are all for gambling, the pro gambling community, step forward we find it quite similar to talking to a brick wall and we often get nowhere. Let us play in peace, we are not hurting anyone, go chase up the real cyber criminals.
I think that people need to realise that there is a marked difference between a pro gambler and a compulsive gambler, that is why in these days there are so many people who are blatantly against gambling for all the wrong reasons, it is not the casino or gambling establishments fault that a person does not know their limits, and as this story says, there is a distaste for the pro gambler even still today as there was way back when.