Gambling as an Addiction
Human beings have indulged in games of chance since before recorded history. Archeological sites in both the Old World and the New World yield gambling bones, dice, and counters. The Old and New Testaments mention the casting of lots to determine the distribution of property, presumably as an expression of God's will. In addition, the classical literature of both Eastern and Western cultures includes many accounts of gambling, often with dramatic consequences. Lotteries have been popular in Asia and Europe for centuries. The first European government-sponsored lottery was established by Queen Elizabeth I in sixteenth-century England. The thirteen American colonies and the early American universities—including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia—were all supported in part by lotteries.
Most societies have recognized the popularity of gambling and its potential for generating social good and personal harm. Therefore, governments have sought ways to regulate gambling. Some governments have prohibited all gambling, while others have established laws limiting the availability of gambling to particular locations, establishing a minimum age, specifying types of games allowed, and regulating the gaming industry to prevent fraud and raise revenues. In the United States, government attitudes toward legalizing gambling have changed radically over time.
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