Letter: Internet gambling not worth the risk

Monday, Nov. 26, 2007 | 7:14 a.m.

Las Vegas Sun reporter Liz Benston did a fine job in her Nov. 23 article, "Gaming's new frontier," presenting both sides of the issue. For any gambler (note that I did not say "gamer") to entertain the concept of sitting at home and pretending to gamble - using a credit card - is humorous.

Playing at a poker table or a blackjack table (single deck only) presents somewhat of a challenge - if you know what you are doing. Sitting in your computer room and "gambling" with an amorphous dealer/computer and not knowing what the odds are - remember, that is the basis of gambling - sounds ridiculous.

Being fairly adroit in this "field" and having more than a basic ability in statistics/probability, internet gambling is too foolish for me. Next, how can our legislators tax internet gambling? Oh, I got it. They'll put a meter on my computer. Hmm.

Our legislators seem determined to sell Internet gambling for our good? Folks, with the advent of the computer in controlling payouts, odds, dollar-to-win ratios, analyzing revenue flow on a minute-to-minute basis, does anyone really think Internet gaming is gambling - as Ben Binion knew it?

Charles F. Carpenter, Henderson