The gambling industry of the United States has grown at a spectacular rate since the 1980's. Billions of dollars are spent on various forms of gambling each year from the $1 lottery ticket at the gas station, to the roulette wheel on the strip in Las Vegas. With this enormous growth has come a debate on whether gambling is a good public policy or an addictive, dangerous sport. I feel that gambling in America creates lower productivity, disrupts family lives, creates burdensome debts, and involvement in crime on many different levels. Gambling is defined as "anything that puts at risk something of value on