3 ms·

You make an interesting point. Take if for what you will, but there was/is very 'big organized stuff' going on in the illicit gambling world. I had a close fam

by korse 3y ago

You make an interesting point. Take if for what you will, but there was/is very 'big organized stuff' going on in the illicit gambling world. I had a close family member who spent the end of his life in the Federal custody for being part of it, and he wasn't even 'big time'. This was not long ago. This gets mighty close to conspiracy territory, but I think that the current gambling wave is just a well made business play by the same people who were running the game previously. Kind of like the cartel getting tired of dealing with interdiction and getting into the pharma business (which I don't think is a thing btw).

tech_ken 3y ago
For sure. There is definitely harms in illegal gambling, I don't want to minimize that at all. But it seems enormously easier for me to create an illegal, yet low-risk gambling product for my friends to consume. It is much, much harder for me to safely manufacture MDMA and distribute it to my social circle. If I want to consume an illegal drug I am more or less required to trust a stranger. I think this difference is serious enough to warrant at the very least consideration in any comparison of the efficacies of prohibition. Looking at ex. DraftKings I think your conspiracy theory is pretty well attested to.
devilbunny 3y ago
> I had a close family member who spent the end of his life in the Federal custody for being part of it, and he wasn't even 'big time'. This was not long ago. Very much so. I've known of people (actual people, not urban legends) who were working as small-time bookies in college (bets under $100, mostly). One started to take bets from non-students and for larger sums. After a few weeks, he got a call from the FBI. They told him it was just a courtesy call to let him know that 1) they knew about him and 2) he was starting to deal with some very very serious organized crime people, so perhaps his wisest choice would be pay out any bets he had taken so far, return any bets that he could, and hang up his hat before he ended up in prison or the ground.

by korse 3y ago

tech_ken 3y ago

For sure. There is definitely harms in illegal gambling, I don't want to minimize that at all. But it seems enormously easier for me to create an illegal, yet low-risk gambling product for my friends to consume. It is much, much harder for me to safely manufacture MDMA and distribute it to my social circle. If I want to consume an illegal drug I am more or less required to trust a stranger. I think this difference is serious enough to warrant at the very least consideration in any comparison of the efficacies of prohibition. Looking at ex. DraftKings I think your conspiracy theory is pretty well attested to.

devilbunny 3y ago

> I had a close family member who spent the end of his life in the Federal custody for being part of it, and he wasn't even 'big time'. This was not long ago. Very much so. I've known of people (actual people, not urban legends) who were working as small-time bookies in college (bets under $100, mostly). One started to take bets from non-students and for larger sums. After a few weeks, he got a call from the FBI. They told him it was just a courtesy call to let him know that 1) they knew about him and 2) he was starting to deal with some very very serious organized crime people, so perhaps his wisest choice would be pay out any bets he had taken so far, return any bets that he could, and hang up his hat before he ended up in prison or the ground.