Earlier this week, state ALE agents raided an underground gambling operation in Johnston County that busted over 70 people for doing such despicable acts such as playing blackjack and poker.
Illegal gambling, according to state law, is a misdemeanor. That is not to be confused with legal gambling that is the North Carolina Education Lottery ticket. Or better yet, the state-permitted gambling that occurs 24/7/365 in Cherokee at the Harrah’s casino. Hypocrisy? Quite possibly. I wonder how many gas stations selling lottery tickets the ALE agents drove passed on the way to bust up this operation?
So gambling is OK, just as long as the State is involved. That seems a little similar to how the mob operates, doesn’t it? It’s fine to operate your business, just make sure to give the mob boss his little taste of the action.
Nope. These people are all criminals, and so are thousands, if not millions, more in North Carolina who put a few bucks in the office NCAA pool or go over to a buddy’s house to watch a little football and play cards. It’s pretty ridiculous, actually. Individuals voluntarily going to private residence to conduct transactions by their own free will shouldn’t be of the interest of government.
I thought it was bad enough when the know-it-all Republicans in Congress stepped in and banned wire transactions to online casinos and effective shut down online poker. Now I’ve got to worry about the state ALE busting through my patio door for having some friends over to play five-card stud.
Thank goodness I can count on government to step in and prevent me from gambling. Oh wait, I mean, unless it’s done in one of the operations they run.
In light of the shortfall of lottery revenues, I think it’s time NC implement my idea of state-run “Education Casinos”. C’mon, if the “Education Lottery” is supposed to help education, why should we pass up on this golden opportunity to really pump some money into education?
“Double-down, it’s for the kids!”