Legalization of Gambling.
One can also throw in the state-sponsored numbers games, otherwise known as the “Lottery," which are at root no different than that that was offered by the Mafia-backed numbers runners of the 1920’s and 1930’s in many of the big cities in the US. At present, the states excuse their dip into gambling as a way to achieve certain goals.What is the process of legalization of gambling, and what can we expect in future years in the United States and other countries in the developed world? Gambling is legal and eve state-owned in many countries in Europe. If one goes to the famous casino sites, such as Evian in France or Baden Baden in Germany, one would be surprised to know that the municipalities themselves own the gambling houses. The manicured lawns and the public fountains all come from the largesse of the cities, which are raking in huge profits due to their state-owned monopolies.
The Europeans are shocked in turn when they come to gambling Meccas in the United States, such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Gone are the serene, quiet casino streets and tables, and in come the bawdy, gaudy gambling houses with the largest neon signs in the world. The contrast couldn’t be greater. So many Europeans are surprised to hear that gambling isn’t legal throughout the US, and that the legalization of gambling is a hot political topic in many states and cities around America. They would also be surprised at how many Indian casinos have opened in the past few years. How can it be legal for them, but illegal for so many other places in the States?
The answer lies in the particular legal structure of the Indian lands. They are sovereign countries as regards the US government, and as sovereign territories can pass laws which are not observed outside of their acreage. As a result, the legalization of gambling within the reservations is up to a few hundred Indians and their governments—a much easier prospect than convincing the population as a whole.
