Gambling has jumped to the forefront of many Americans' minds in the midst of recent efforts—many successful—to legalize sports gambling at a state level.
In other countries, sports gambling is completely legal. Two such countries are England and France. I read an opinion piece from The Guardian, based in England, about a lawsuit that is currently taking place in France that may well change the global understanding of what is considered gambling. Depending on the results of the lawsuit, the whole European Union may be forced to reconsidered and re-regulate.
The article discusses video games that involve pay-to-play aspects as a form of gambling. The piece, following the footsteps of the legal case in France, focuses on FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) in EA Sports' annually-released video game, FIFA.
Freelance author Tom Usher takes a unique approach to the piece. He uses humor to address a situation that many would consider a serious issue.
I could easily see how some readers might be confused from the get-go in this piece. Usher does mention downloadable content, "pay-to-play" and in-game purchases in the first graph, but he does not make it clear what the specific situation in question is until the fourth graph.
Furthermore, it's difficult to tell exactly what his opinion on the situation is until deep in the piece. The opening graph offers only that he feels he would definitely have been affected by the game's antics if he were born later into a younger generation.
It's all really quite interesting. Despite the lack of a straight-forward statement of his viewpoint on the situation, I felt that both the flow and the theme of the piece was consistent.
The unconventional use of humor worked for me, although I can see how it may be seen as unbecoming by some. As we've learned, though, developing your voice as a writer is vital, and Usher certainly has that. It might be because he is a freelance writer that he can get away with a less formal tone than The Guardian might usually disseminate.
As for research, the piece definitely has it. There are numerous statistics and specific details about FIFA, FUT and the specific court case itself. He offers quotes from both the lawyer in the casa and the actual person who is bringing the case to court. These quotation's really show why this can be viewed as a form of gambling, and maybe more importantly, why it can be a serious issue.
In regards to research and authority to speak on the subject, the most important aspect of such is likely Usher's assertion that he's played the game himself and felt the anger and difficulty that one who doesn't put physical money into the game does face.
The lead in this piece is bold. With humor, one can either really connect with the reader immediately, or really alienate them right off the bat. Usher, to his credit, stays consistent throughout the piece. I thought it worked for him. It kind of made sense in regards to the transition from the first paragraph to discussing Happy Meals and Panini stickers—it all feels a little childish. But I think that's the point.
And it really hammers home the fact that, with the current set up, kids are using real money to gamble on these games. Usher says "With a casino or bookies, as predatory as they can be, at least you’re overtly aware that what you’re doing is gambling (and it is unavailable to those under 18)," an excerpt that I feel really illustrates the situation well.
As for the kicker, it's direct and to the point. The final paragraph has a very clear call to action and spells out Usher's "final verdict" on the situation. He states that he really doesn't think FUT should be banned, but he urges a shift back to skill being the deciding factor in games, as opposed to content that may be bought by some but not others.
As for audience interest, this piece most definitely kept me engaged.
Naturally, I would gravitate toward something like this. I am a sports fan, a player of FIFA and FUT, and an active gambler.
However, in an attempt to analyze from another perspective, I can see why others would be interested in this topic. Parents with young kids may not be aware of the potential cost (physical cost and/or emotional cost) of exposing their children to this content. Those who have dealt with gambling problems in their life, whether it be themselves or someone close to them, most definitely have a horse in the race here. Or if you are simply a support or fan of the FIFA games, you likely care about the ultimate result of the lawsuit. Because a verdict in a certain direction could lead to a comprehensive reworking of pay-to-play content as we know it.
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