Why not 18?

[2xDouble]

I figured out that I cant gamble where I live(Louisiana)and you have to be 21.

I never understood why that is.It would make sense if 18 year olds would get a gambling addiction but its about self control for that person, so that cant be it.

What would be your thought on this topic.

It's related to the drinking age, as most casinos also serve alcohol on the gambling floors. It is easier to ban people under 21 from the gambling floor than to check everyone's IDs and bottleneck access to the games.

short answers:
Is there logic behind it? yes.
Does it really make sense? depends on your perspective.

Well why don't they use wristbands like they do in bars and clubs. You walk in they check your ID before you put one coin or bill in a machine and the waitress sees the different color band compared to the 21 year old wristbandband and wont serve alcohol to that person

Because unlike a bar, a casino thrives only if the people inside spend as much time gambling and making purchases as possible. If people are stuck waiting in line for an armband, there are a) fewer people gambling at any given time, b) fewer overall customers in a given day, c) higher percentage of people frustrated who, in turn, tend to be less likely to gamble recklessly or make significant other purchases such as drinks, food, and merchandise. A casino needs to be as (outwardly) customer-friendly as possible, sort of like a retail store.

A bar, on the other hand, doesn't care if its patrons are happy per se, only that they are entertained and buying drinks or food. It works more like a restaurant or comedy/jazz/whatever club.

Short answer: because it would take too long to get people in and limit the time they spend gambling.

Again:
Logical? maybe.
Makes sense? still depends on your perspective. They think it does.

That is an interesting idea though, maybe some of the smaller casinos can implement it.

 

[Broken Orange]

You can die for your country, but you can't be drunk while you do it. Makes no sense at all.

 

[Sovvolf]

Isn't the age 21 for things like that because it's still pretty easy for a 16 or 17 year old to pass for 18, but it's more difficult for a teenager to pass for 21?

There's a lot of ambiguity during the teenage years and with the telling of some people's age, so by making the restrictions 21, i.e. restricted to actual adults and completely off limits to all teenagers (as oppose to just the young looking ones with the 18 age limit), it makes it slightly easier for those who have to check and enforce the age restrictions.

Well you have to look over 25 in most places in Briton otherwise your I.D'd. I don't understand how that couldn't be incorporated over there.

 

[That's Funny]

Yeah some age related laws never have and never will make sense to me.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I don't get why the legal age in BC is 19 where it is 18 in Saskatchewan. Stop treating me like a kid BC. I'm considered a responsible guy and I don't need my parents to sign everything for me anymore.

As for yours, I don't know. Who writes these laws anyway?

 

[AugustFall]

I think it might have more to do with the preventing gambling syndicates targeting younger people.

 

[Free Thinker]

I can drive, I can enlist, and in a year I can vote. But I still have to wait 4 years to enjoy a nice cold one! Although I hate the taste of alcohol, yes I've illegally drank an alcoholic beverage, but that's beyond the point, I'd like the opportunity to have one freely.

 

[WakeTheDead1]

im from england, 16 for sex, 18 for drinking gambling etc

 

[Double A]

It probably has something to do with "Think of the children!!!" and will probably be changed once my generation gets into its 40's or 50's. Maybe even 30's. (I'm 16 now)

I'm about as confused about that as to why the age of consent for legal sex is 16, but the age to view porn is 18. Surely the former is more... 'intimate'.

I heard that it was because porn covered rather.... perverse subjects, as opposed to simply sex. Whether or not people agree on that is another matter, that's just what I heard.

OT: I don't get it either. I can join the army at 16 but have to wait 'til I'm 18 to play MW2.

I mean, I didn't, but still...

But that really doesn't stop anyone. It'd be easier to ban drugs successfully. And even then, it's not like not having porn means guys can't jerk off.

 

[Exterminas]

Seems to fit the topic:

Is it actually ture that in some parts of the USA, you can buy a gun, before you can buy booze?

 

[blankedboy]

It's 18 for almost everything here. The drink-driving limit changes at 21, but I don't think there's any significant legal changes otherwise.

Actually, I think the age-restriction system is one of the very few things I like about this country. At 13, you can stay home-alone for long periods of time, at 14 you can baby-sit, at 15 (but soon 16) you can drive, at 16 you can get married, have sex, and get gun licences, and at 18 you can drink unsupervised, the drink-driving limit goes up from zero, view porn, join the army, and several other things...

So this means I can walk around the house drinking Vodka Cruisers legally at age 14. Beat that, bitchaz.

 

[Cat Cloud]

Gambling varies state to state. Where I live, it's 18.

 

[Zagzag]

at 15 you can drive,

That is one of the most insane things I have ever heard. Do they want everyone to kill themselves? No fifteen year old I have ever known should be allowed anywhere near the driving seat of a car. I actually think the UK age (17) should be raised, as noone at that age is responsible enough.

 

[Danzaivar]

You think that's weird? In the UK you need to be at least 16 to have sex, but 18 to buy/watch porn. If you took the law literally then you'd need to wear a blind fold during for the first two years.

 

[Verlander]

I think most of the "21" laws in America stem from it being very conservative and founded by puritan Christians.

Don't get too down though, in Britain during the Thatcher regime nearly all porn was censored, and smoking recently went up from 16 to 18, so we're getting worse at that sort of thing.

Mostly though, stopping you from gambling can't be a negative thing. I mean playing the lottery (which is 16 over here ), playing friendly games of poker and light sports betting can be ok, but sitting down by one armed bandits mindlessly pumping coins into them? That's pretty destructive, and for people with more money than sense. Wanna gamble at 18? Go on a Vegas holiday for a week and have fun, and try not to take the habit home with you

 

[Risingblade]

It's 18 here in cali

 

[NoseDigger]

The only things that are 18 here are the drivers license and vodka/tequila/rum/...
Pretty much everything else is 16.

 

[Dogstile]

I'm about as confused about that as to why the age of consent for legal sex is 16, but the age to view porn is 18. Surely the former is more... 'intimate'.

Are 16-17 year olds having sex blindfolded?

I'm 17 and...

Just letting you know

 

[Blackality]

16 to drink fermented type drinks like beer and 18 to drink stuff like vodka. Also, 18 for voting and gambling.

Portuguese (EU) here.

 

[kouriichi]

12 year olds used to be forced to fight in military armed forces over land desputes back in the middle ages.

Im pretty sure 18 isnt that bad of an age to allow people to gamble.