Gambling

With the recent expose made by Archbishop Cruz on "jueteng" and the people involved in the said activity, there is much interest again in gambling. But what, exactly, is gambling? Why is it illegal?

Gambling refers to a wager or bet in which each player agrees to risk losing some material possession to other players in exchange for the chance to win the possessions of other players without compensation to the loser, the winner(s) and loser(s) being determined. Gambling is mutual covetousness like dueling is mutual attempted murder. In dueling, each person agrees to let the other person try to kill him in exchange for the opportunity to try to kill the other person. So a gambler agrees to let others try to take his possessions in exchange for the opportunity for him to try to take the other person's possessions.

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Some people say, "Everything in life involves a gamble." This confuses risk with gambling. Not all risks involve gambling. These acts involve no wager and no stakes. There is no agreement to try to take someone else's possessions. The gambler always wants financial loss to occur, because he hopes to profit from those losses.

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The Bible authorizes only three morally legitimate ways for money or possessions to pass from one owner to another. Gambling fits none of them. They are: (1) The law of labor ("the work ethic") wherein one may be paid as compensation for work done to produce goods or services that benefit other people; (2) The law of exchange whereby a person may simply agree to exchange possessions (goods or money) with someone else. Each party is paid or fairly compensated by receiving possessions of fair value in return for what he gives up. Gambling does not fit here, because the winner has no intention to compensate the loser; and (3) The law of giving whereby a person may knowingly choose, of his own free will, to unconditionally give something away as an expression of good will or kindness, with no obligation for the receiver to offer any compensation in return. Again, gambling does not fit this category because gamblers do not give willingly, freely, as an act of love or compassion.

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  As a matter of policy, our government has condemned the existence of illegal gambling activities such as illegal numbers games as this has become an influential factor in an individual's disregard for the value of dignified work, perseverance and thrift since instant monetary gains from it are being equated to success, thereby becoming a widespread social menace and a source of corruption.

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That is why gambling is penalized as a crime under Article 195, and related articles, in the Revised Penal Code. The penalty of arresto mayor or a fine not exceeding two hundred pesos is imposed upon any person who, in any manner shall directly, or indirectly take part in any game of monte, jueteng or any other form of lottery, policy, banking, or percentage game, dog races, or any other game of scheme the result of which depends wholly or chiefly upon chance or hazard; or wherein wagers consisting of money, articles of value or representative of value are made; or in the exploitation or use of any other mechanical invention or contrivance to determine by chance the loser or winner of money or any object or representative of value. The penalty is increased for those who permit gambling in their house, and increased all the more for the maintainer, conductor, or banker in a game of jueteng or any similar game.

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Republic Act No. 9287 which was approved on April 2, 2004 further increased the penalties for those who engage in illegal numbers games. The penalty is imprisonment from 6 years and 1 day to 8 years for those who act as personnel or staff of an illegal numbers game operation; from 8 years and one 1 day to 10 years for those who act as collector or agent; from 10 years and 1 day to 12 years for those who act as coordinator, controller or supervisor; from 12 years and one 1 day to 14 years for those who act as maintainer, manager or operator; from 14 years and 1 day to 16 years for the financier or capitalist; and from sixteen 16 years and one 1 day to 20 years for persons who act acts as protector or coddler.

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As seen, there is a stiff penalty of imprisonment for the gambling operator. And have you ever wondered who the biggest gambling operator is in this country? The one who operates casinos and lotteries? But is immune from criminal prosecution?

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Right! Of course you know that I am referring to the government. And so, haven't you retched at the utter shamelessness of this situation? The government - with its fat government officials and functionaries - does not only have a monopoly on gambling. It also sends to jail anybody else who dares to compete with it.

Posted in: Social