Middle Eastern and Asian countries usually ban gambling. For the most part Arab states, India, China, Japan, and other Asian countries have no casinos. Regional religions such as Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Shintoism – which are also practiced by many Americans – generally account for the legal prohibitions.
It is written in the Koran – the holy scriptures of the Islamic faith – “Only would Satan sow hatred and strife among you, by wine and games of chance, and turn you aside from the remembrance of God, and from prayer; will ye not, therefore, abstain from them?” Islamic law therefore condemns gambling as being contrary to the word. The activity is viewed as “unjustified enrichment” and “receiving a monetary advantage without giving a countervalue” (Survah V, verses 90–91). The evidence of a gambler is not admissible in an Islamic court. Anyone receiving gambling winnings is obligated to give the money to the poor. There are, however, two exceptions to the general prohibition on gambling: Wagers are permitted for horse racing, as such betting was an incentive for training necessary for the holy wars; also, prizes may be given for winners of competitions involving knowledge about Islamic law.
Under Hindu law, gamblers are also disqualified as witnesses. Because of their “depravity”, they are considered, as are “thieves and assassins,” to be people in whom “no truth can be found”. The Hindu law books indicate that gambling – among the most serious of vices – makes a person impure and that “the wealth obtained by gambling is tainted” (Eliade 1987, 5:472).The devout Buddhist considers gambling wrong. In the Parabhava Sutta, the Buddha includes addiction to women, strong drink, and dice as one of eleven combinations of means whereby men are brought to loss. The one path to victory is loving the “dhamma” – the Buddha’s teaching. Monks are warned that games and spectacles – including fights between elephants, horses, buffalo, bulls, goats, rams, and cocks; also, various board games, chariot races, and dice games – are detrimental to their virtue.
Buddha saw that the world was suffering because of desire. Desires could not be satisfied, and therefore we had frustration. When we achieved our wants we only wanted more, and then we became obsessed with fears that others would take away what we had. In rejecting desires, we had to seek the ten “perfections” in generosity, self-sacrifice, morality, renunciation, energy, forbearance, truthfulness, loving, kindness, and equanimity. These perfections come with a rejection of worldly passions including those aroused by gambling activity (Eliade 1987, 5:472).
The Shinto faith of Japan emerged after centuries of contact with Buddhism. It became a national religion in the nineteenth century, incorporating many Buddhist beliefs. It extols the virtue of industriousness and strong willpower. Hence, gambling is accorded the status of an evil activity, as it diverts one from the path to virtue and righteousness.
Marxism has replaced religion to a major extent in China and North Korea, although remnants of religious practices can be witnessed. The notions of Marxism are consistent with the prohibitions of gambling found within the major regional religions. Marxist and socialist thought views gambling as an activity that takes people away from productive pursuits, and in an organized sense, gambling is another capitalist activity that exploits the working classes.
The force of Marxism and religious doctrines of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Shintoism upon the laws of most Middle Eastern and Asian countries has been pronounced. Nonetheless, the affluent among the populations of the region have always found gambling outlets available for their play. Middle Eastern and Asian gambling enclaves thrive in places such as Macao, Beirut, Cairo, Manila, and Kathmandu. And Las Vegas casinos include nationals from the Eastern and Middle Eastern countries, which forbid gambling, high on the lists of their most exclusive high-rolling players. Religions in the East as well as the West do impact upon attitudes people have toward the legalization of gambling, but the force of beliefs as a determinant over whether people will personally gamble or not may be less pervasive.
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