So you are more than willing to take away the freedom of those who want to play a game because someone MIGHT make bad decisions?
Do you ride a motorcycle? Drink beer? Go boating? Drive an automobile? Parasail? Cross the street? All these things MIGHT cause you to end up on public assistance. Maybe I should call for the legislature to make laws against them.
Take away freedom? Texas does not at present permit casinos. With good reason too. Texas doesn’t need them, nor are people barred from indulging in gambling. Nor is gambling a constitutional right.
One of the effects of building casinos will be that some people will gamble to excess, and will end up on public assistance. Do you suggest that we, as taxpayers ought to provide for them? You say we ought so that you can indulge. Fine. Why don’t we simply say that there’s no benefit to throwing some Texas folks into poverty so that others can gamble in-state? I don’t see it.
What about those food stamp cards? Are people going to be permitted to gamble with them? I’ve lived in a state that permitted all of these things, and I think these are issues that need to be confronted now, not sometime down the road.
“Do you ride a motorcycle?”
Motorcycling requires me to possess a license.
“Drink beer?”
There are plenty of dry counties. Alcohol consumption is not a constitutional right.
“Go boating?”
Licensing again, and my permit can be taken away.
“Drive an automobile?”
Licensing plus registration, plus inspection.
“Maybe I should call for the legislature to make laws against them.”
Government has substantial involvement in all of these activities. All of these are productive activities with the exception of alcohol consumption. I don’t see any reason why we ought to treat alcohol consumption any differently than gambling. States have the right to ban either.