TOEFL iBT Academic Discussion and Writing 6-2 Do you think gambling should be legalized?

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Question

Do you think gambling should be legalized?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

Do research on the following questions and discuss them with others.

1.        What is Amy’s point? Provide a case in point.

2.        What is Jack’s point? Provide a case in point.

3.        Do research on this topic. Share your findings.

 

 

☆Hints for Points

1.        Gabling is addictive.

2.        It raises crime rates.

3.        It enriches antisocial groups.

4.        Tax revenue from cassinos may or may not help the city.

5.        Banning makes gambling go underground.

 

 

☆Responses for Ideas and Expressions

Ethical issues:

I respect individual freedom, but I cannot support legalization of gambling because it causes serious ethical issues. Fundamentally, gambling is ethically wrong because these “games of chance” with money at stake are to make money at the expense of weak and unfortunate people. It is designed to make visitors lose for profits. Nevertheless, it does not choose customers. Other than wealthy people who have a large amount of disposal income, ordinary citizens can get involved in gambling and lose a fortune, which destroys lives of addicted gamblers and their families. In addition to these tragedies, the mindset for hitting-a-jackpot and becoming a tycoon without caring others will deteriorate citizen life based on diligent and conscientious daily labor, and this will drive people into an insane state of mind. It is the hotbed of get-rich-quick schemes and acceptance of neoliberal practices that makes people worship those who make money and dehumanize those who lost in competition. Those inhumane comments made by neoliberalists show the devastation and emptiness of their mental life. In this way, gambling is potentially harmful to the spirit of mankind. (182 words)

 

Economic problem

Legalization of gambling can weaken the economy of the society. In general, antisocial groups like mafia and yakuza do gambling business. So, legalization of gabling allows white-collar mafia to expand their illicit businesses, and this will influence normal economic activities because bad money drives out good money. In addition, gambling does not always increase tax revenue. It often wrecks the economy of the cities, except for the traditional gambling cities, such as Las Vegas and Macao. Newly built gambling cities have all failed. Osaka IR (Integrated Resorts) plan that was launched after the legalization of some types of gambling in Japan in 2018 has been causing concerns that its large cassino targeting the wealthy may cause a huge deficit because it is hard to expect that it will attract a large number of visitors. Underground gambling is bad enough, but government-owned cassinos will cause more harm because tax money used to make up for the loss surpasses the revenue from the cassino. Therefore, gambling is all harm, no good, and so we must keep gambling illegal. (176 words)

 

 

☆Response plan

Topic Sentence:

Supporting Details:

Conclusion:

Write your response in 10 minutes. Show each other your responses. Write down questions or suggestions to each other’s response.