Thursday, September 19, 2019
Gambling :: essays research papers
English attitudes and opinions prevailed in the â€Å"New World†, and created gambling in America. Settlers brought with them the view that gambling was a harmless diversion. In these colonies, gambling was a popular and accepted activity. Legal gambling tended to be those types that were considered gentlemen-like. For example, it took a long time for cock fighting and prize-fighting to become legal because it was not considered a suitable gentlemen’s’ game.                Although the financial backers of the colonies viewed gambling as a source of the colonies' problems, they began to see it as the solution as well. The Virginia Company of London was permitted by Britain to hold lotteries and raise money for the company's colonial venture. The lotteries were relatively sophisticated and included instant winners. Eventually, Britain banned the lotteries because of complaints from the English back home that felt that they were robbing Britain’s money. Proceeds helped establish some of the nation's earliest and most prestigious universities -- Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Dartmouth, Princeton, and William and Mary. Lottery funds were also used to build churches and libraries. Among the lotteries was a private lottery passed by Congress in 1823 for the beautification of Washington D.C. Unfortunately, the organizers run off with the proceeds and the winner was never paid. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â à ‚     Lotteries were not the only form of gambling during this era; wagering on horse racing was a popular form of gambling. Unsurprisingly, it was not quite as organized as modern horse racing. The first racetrack in North America was built on Long Island in 1665.                                    Casino gaming started slowly. Taverns and roadhouses would allow dice and card games. The relatively sparse population was a barrier to establishing gaming houses, but as the population increased, by the early 1800s, lavish casinos were established in the young republic. During the 1830's, the actions of the professional gamblers came under growing scrutiny and southern settlers turned against the professional gambler.           The anti-lottery forces fought against lotteries and prevailed. In 1833 Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts put an end to state authorized lotteries. By 1840, most states had banned lotteries. By 1860, only Delaware, Missouri, and Kentucky still allowed state-authorized lotteries. Nevertheless, the tickets of these few states were shipped around the country by mail or smugglers. The prohibition also led to the creation of illegal lotteries.                The gold rush brought a huge increase in the amount and types of gambling to California; San Francisco replaced New Orleans as the center for gambling in the United States.
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