Gambling is synonymous with covetousness. This means that a gambler is someone eagerly desiring what belongs to others. Not content with what is his by right, a gambler avidly wants to have the money of other gamblers.
The same is true for gambling operators, i.e., they in turn likewise covet the money of the gamblers. This makes covetousness the spirit whereby gambling thrives and in which gamblers live.
Gambling cultivates indolence. A gambler rejects the value of industry, violates the mandate of sweat and toil to earn his keep. He instead prefers simply to sit down for long hours, to place his bets repeatedly, and to repeatedly as well wait what would happen next. Gambling is practically doing nothing other than guessing, betting, and waiting. A gambler does not earn but simply grabs and gets — or loses and gives away.
Gambling corrupts the gamblers. It is incongruous as well as ridiculous to claim that gambling makes gamblers upright and honest, trustworthy and dependable, virtuous and honorable. The contrary is true. That is why people find it hard to put their trust and confidence on gamblers. The opposite is true. The rule says that it is neither wise nor prudent to relate with gamblers, especially so when money is involved — irrespective of their status in society.
Gambling is a shame. Calling someone a “gambler” is never a compliment. That is why regular gamblers — be they small or big time — are neither pleased nor appreciative when they become known and identified. This is especially true among gamblers frequenting casinos. They go and leave these big time gambling establishments with conscious effort not to be seen, not to be exposed to the public. In turn, these gambling establishments are in fact deliberately designed and built in places with the intention to hide the gamblers from the attention and recognition of the general public. The more unknown gamblers are, the better they feel, the more at east they become in their gambling escapade, i.e., escape from reality.
Gambling corrupts not few local and national officials. This is especially true for illegal gambling. The corruption comes in form of multi-million payolas regularly and attentively given them by the gambling lords. In exchange, the officials concerned give their endorsement plus protection to the gambling operators in their respective territorial coverage. The amount and frequency of payolas depend on how lucrative is gambling in the place which is usually measured by the land size and the local population. These in turn spell how much money goes to gambling, how many draws are made, how many gamblers lose, how much gambling revenues go to the operators.
Gambling runs local and national elections. This again is especially relevant to illegal gambling. This fact is one of the worst realities obtaining in the country as of this writing. This phenomenon consists in the mutual beneficial relationship between rather many political candidates and gambling operators. That gambling revenues finance not only local but also national election is no longer a secret. And this is true for “earnings” from major illegal gambling — plus no mean help from legal gambling corporations. The candidates concerned get campaign payolas form gambling operators and upon winning, in turn deliberately give the latter their tolerance, endorsement, and protection.
Gambling corrupts not only a few police authorities. Once more, this is particularly true of illegal gambling. This is the second worst impact of gambling to society. It is no secret in the country that gambling payolas with regularity and in agreed amounts go to the hands of certain police authorities occupying different ranks in the law enforcement hierarchy. In exchange, gambling operators get their required protection from them. Thus it is that with the endorsement of public officials plus the protection of police authorities, it becomes well understandable that illegal gambling in the country appears here to stay.
Gambling exploits gamblers. This is true for both legal and illegal gambling forms. As before said, the final outcome is always predictably the same, viz., gamblers lose and gambling operators win — be this the famous Government gambling corporations or the infamous Gambling Lords. That is why as Drug Lords do not use drugs, gambling operators do not gamble. Reason: They lose. They know better than their clients. Gambling is an unsaid relationship between the exploited and exploiters. The said irrational reality notwithstanding, the relationship continues to be rather vibrant and strong. It is not altogether wrong that gamblers seem to have a desire for self-destruction — for want of nothing better to do.
Gambling makes gambling operators filthy rich. This is true for both legal and illegal gambling forms. As gamblers ultimately remain poor or become more impoverished, while the gambling operators — be this the government or the gambling lords — as a matter of course become shamelessly wealthy. And while a big portion of their respective wealth goes to promote their likewise respective marked selfish interests, a bit thereof is thrown to others for their own promotion. For their image building, Government gambling corporations spend a lot of their “earnings” in advertising their alleged many social welfare projects while deliberately being silent on their many serious social costs in many ways, in many communities.
(Reprinted with permission of Archbishop Emeritus Oscar V. Cruz, from www.ovc.blogspot.com)