Are Gambling and Lottery Two Different Names Of The Same Game?
Gambling is nothing but indulging in a game of luck that requires every player to put in something valuable as stake. Those who win sweep away all the stakes and they need not even compensate the other players for the loss incurred by them.
Gambling can be of different types such as online betting, slot machines, card games, lottery, etc. Lottery is also a very popular type of gambling, in which the winners can win pre-decided gifts and prizes.
Although gambling is highly popular in several parts of the world, yet, it is strictly forbidden in the Islamic nations because Islam considers gambling to be an absolutely unethical practice, something which is equivalent to committing a big sin, and must therefore be avoided.
Although gambling is considered to be a sin by Islam, many other nations in the world patronize gambling and lotteries. In fact, gambling is considered to be a highly fun-filled and entertaining experience, that is quite important from the tourism perspective and draws huge crowds from across the globe, as is seen in the case of the casinos in Las vegas. Several nations of the world including Spain, France, Canada, Belgium, U.K, and even U.S are therefore seen encouraging gambling and the proceeding from the lotteries and casinos are donated for the development of public infrastructure.
The craze for lotteries and gambling is very high across the globe and people from all income groups are found to be indulging in gambling. In fact, lotteries have earned the name – “tax on stupidity” because there are very remote chances of winning in a lottery, when compared to the other popular forms of gambling, and yet we stupidly keep buying lottery tickets in the hope of winning some day. Since the revenue generated from gambling is used for social service such as for the construction of roads, schools and hospitals, it is used more or less like the taxes paid by us. Hence it has earned the name – “tax on stupidity”.
Gambling has almost become an obsession with people. This can sometimes, take a very ugly shape when individuals start suffering from an insuppressible urge to gamble, a disorder named as “compulsive gambling”. This is a psychological disorder and the patient becomes so obsessed and addicted to gambling, that he needs rehabilitation and therapy to restore a state of normalcy.
Gambling must only be played for the sake of pure enjoyment and not as a means of earning a livelihood. Lottery or gambling is acceptable as long as nothing valuable is put at stake and little prizes are used as stakes, so that no one loses out on any hard earned possessions.
Graham McKenzie is the content coordinator for a South African UK Lottery Ticket website, where you can buy tickets to play the UK lottery and stake your claim in the Euro millions draw.
