Global View - Gambling(0136)

A:

Did you hear? The state is thinking of legalizing gambling in our city! Soon we are gonna have amazing hotels and casinos here which will be good for our business!

B:

Are you serious? Gambling is a vice industry built on deception and fed by the intentional exploitation of human weakness for the sole purpose of monetary gain! It disgusts me.

A:

What are you talking about? How does it exploit people?

B:

Well, to begin with, Gambling is addictive, ruins marriages, destroys families and bankrupts communities. Once you are addicted it is very difficult to stop. People have lost their houses, cars and been left out on the street after becoming addicted. Secondly, it exploits because men become addicted to gambling most often because of the action and risk. Women gamble to escape, and senior citizens will start gambling for the social interaction. Underage gamblers often start gambling on sports with friends and then illegal bookies.

A:

Geez! Now that I think about it, maybe legalizing gambling isn't such a good idea! Although, I have been to Las Vegas, and I didn't become addicted or anything like that.

B:

You cannot predict who will become addicted to gambling. Now excuse me, I have a protest rally to organize!

Key Vocabulary

legalize

principle verb, present progressive

to make (something) legal

vice

common noun, non-variable

bad or immoral behavior or habits

exploitation

common noun, non-variable

using someone for something unfairly

sole purpose

phrase

only reason

monetary

Adjective

about money

gambling

common noun, non-variable

the practice of risking money in a game or bet

casino

common noun, plural

a building or room that has games you can bet on

bookie

common noun, plural

a person who organizes bets (informal)

addicted

Adjective

unable to stop doing something that is harmful

Supplementary Vocabulary

Texas Hold'em

common noun, singular

a variation of poker where there are five community cards and each player has two personal cards.

slot machine

common noun, singular

a machine featuring an electronic game on which to gamble, worked by placing a coin in a slot

roulette

common noun, singular

A gambling game in which the players bet on which slot of a rotating disk a small ball will come to rest in.

odds

common noun, plural

the probability, expressed as a ratio, that something will or will not happen

online gambling

common noun, singular

a form to gamble via the interet visiting web sites and using a credit card