Nick Cortese
Research Outline
Gambling
Thesis: Gambling in society has detrimental effects to people in United States.

Topic: I. There are certain types of gambling that people should be aware of.
A. Gambling is any bet you make that involves chance, a stake, and there is a pay-off. “Here is the definition of gamble – to play at any game of chance for stakes, to bet on an uncertain outcome” (Brown). “The following three elements must be present for something to be defined as gambling: a pay-off, the element of chance, and the stake risked by the bettor” (Brown).
B. Many events could be considered gambling, but the most popular form of gambling is lotteries. “Some types of
“These heavy lottery players are more likely than others to be black, poorer and less educated than the average Californian” (Anderson).
B. Gambling should not be legalized because if it was low income people would be even more tempted to gamble and waste their money. “Alicia Hansen of the Tax Foundation, a tax policy research group, notes that $500 worth of lottery tickets in one year may be a drop in the bucket to an upper-income person, but it is a significant portion of a poor person's income” (Update: Lotteries). “Lottery supporters maintain that people of all income levels – not just poor people – play lottery games with roughly equal frequency, and insist that lotteries are specifically targeted at the poor” (Update: Lotteries).
C. Gambling shouldn't be legalized because if there was more legal ways to gamble the poor would be even more poor. “Proponents argue that state lotteries are an effective way to raise taxes painlessly” (Anderson). “But the evidence shows that legalized gambling often hurts those who are poor and disadvantaged” (Anderson).

Topic: IV. Legalizing gambling would lead to more people with problem gambling and gambling addiction.
A. Problem gambling is a very serious condition and anyone can be infected by it. “Whether you sports, buy lottery tickets or scratch cards, play roulette, poker, or slots, in a casino or online, problem