By Debbie Schlussel

I support legalizing online gambling in New Jersey (and all other jurisdictions in the United States). And here’s why:

There is no reason to allow legalized gambling in the form of lottery tickets and Atlantic City casinos and not allow online casino gambling from the comfort of the gambler’s home. In fact, that might get rid of the blight that physical casino gambling causes in places like Atlantic City, where it sucks all the other physical surroundings and businesses dry, causing blight. And why should a state benefit from legalized gambling with lottery tickets when we know the money just encourages more spending? Plus a lot of the money from lottery tickets never even makes it to the schools as claimed.

Outlawing online casino gambling is hypocritical and doesn’t make sense.

Plus, some of the games that online casinos offer, like poker, aren’t really gambling because they involve a great degree of skill, logic, and reasoning.

I personally don’t gamble because I can’t afford to lose and I’m not a huge fan of gambling. But I’m a libertarian on this issue, and I believe that if you want to gamble, that should be your right. And if it’s your right, it should be legal in all forums, including online, not just at the gas station or convenience store where you buy lottery tix and not just at physical casinos. Let’s be consistent.