Question:
A sports betting company argues in court that its operations are similar to those of the stock market. Like sports betting, the stock market is also unpredictable even for experts. This often results in many investors losing money. Therefore, the company contends that sports betting should also be legalized in the country. Which of the following arguments would weaken their claim?
A sports betting company argues in court that its operations are similar to those of the stock market. Like sports betting, the stock market is also unpredictable even for experts. This often results in many investors losing money. Therefore, the company contends that sports betting should also be legalized in the country. Which of the following arguments would weaken their claim?
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This argument works only because it treats sports betting and the stock market as equivalent purely on unpredictability. To weaken it, look for a difference between the two that matters for why one activity might be restricted and the other is not -- not just any random difference between them.
Updated On: Aug 17, 2026
- Stock market investors consistently earn substantial profits over time.
- While fewer people are familiar with the stock market, a large number of people are interested in sports.
- Sports betting companies frequently use aggressive marketing tactics that target vulnerable populations.
- A regulatory body exists in the country to oversee stock market operations.
- Stock market investments are less addictive than sports betting.
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Approach Solution - 1
Step 1: Identify the core argument.
The company argues by analogy that since the stock market is legal despite being unpredictable and causing losses, sports betting should also be legalized.
Step 2: Understand how to weaken an argument based on analogy.
To weaken such an argument, we must show a relevant difference between the two activities that undermines the comparison.
Step 3: Evaluate the options.
Option (A) weakens the premise slightly but does not directly address the analogy.
Option (B) is irrelevant to legality and does not affect the argument.
Option (C) criticizes marketing practices but does not directly break the comparison made.
Option (D) introduces regulation, but regulation alone does not directly address the core harm being compared.
Option (E) highlights a crucial difference: sports betting being more addictive than stock market investments makes the comparison flawed and weakens the justification for legalization.
Step 4: Final evaluation.
If sports betting is significantly more addictive than stock market investing, then treating them as equivalent activities for legal purposes is unjustified.
Final Answer:
\[ \boxed{\text{Option (E)}} \]
The company argues by analogy that since the stock market is legal despite being unpredictable and causing losses, sports betting should also be legalized.
Step 2: Understand how to weaken an argument based on analogy.
To weaken such an argument, we must show a relevant difference between the two activities that undermines the comparison.
Step 3: Evaluate the options.
Option (A) weakens the premise slightly but does not directly address the analogy.
Option (B) is irrelevant to legality and does not affect the argument.
Option (C) criticizes marketing practices but does not directly break the comparison made.
Option (D) introduces regulation, but regulation alone does not directly address the core harm being compared.
Option (E) highlights a crucial difference: sports betting being more addictive than stock market investments makes the comparison flawed and weakens the justification for legalization.
Step 4: Final evaluation.
If sports betting is significantly more addictive than stock market investing, then treating them as equivalent activities for legal purposes is unjustified.
Final Answer:
\[ \boxed{\text{Option (E)}} \]
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Approach Solution -2
Concept:
Step 1: State the logical chain of the argument.
Premise: the stock market is unpredictable and causes losses, yet is legal. Analogy: sports betting shares this unpredictability. Conclusion: sports betting should be legal too. The entire bridge from "legal" to "should be legal" rests only on shared unpredictability.
Step 2: Test option (A): stock investors consistently earn substantial profits.
This disputes the stated premise itself (that the market causes losses), rather than pointing to a new relevant difference between the two activities -- a narrower way to weaken.
Step 3: Test options (B) and (D): familiarity with sports versus the stock market, and the existence of a market regulator.
Neither points to the reason gambling specifically tends to be restricted -- popularity does not decide legality, and a regulator could equally be added for sports betting. Both fail to break the analogy on a relevant ground.
Step 4: Test option (C): aggressive marketing targeting vulnerable populations.
This is about company conduct, not an inherent difference between the two activities, so it does not undercut the claim that the two activities are fundamentally similar.
Step 5: Test option (E): stock market investments are less addictive than sports betting.
Addictiveness is precisely the kind of harm-to-vulnerable-individuals concern that legal systems commonly use as grounds to restrict an activity, separate from mere unpredictability. Since the whole analogy rested only on "unpredictability causing losses," showing that betting carries this added risk breaks the analogy on a legally relevant ground.
Final Answer: Stock market investments are less addictive than sports betting (Option E)
- To weaken an argument built on an analogy ("X is like Y, and Y is treated a certain way, so X should be treated the same way"), find a difference between X and Y that is directly relevant to why Y is treated that way; an irrelevant difference does nothing to the argument.
- Lay out the exact logical chain first, then test each option against whether it breaks a link in that chain on a legally relevant ground, rather than judging each option in isolation.
Step 1: State the logical chain of the argument.
Premise: the stock market is unpredictable and causes losses, yet is legal. Analogy: sports betting shares this unpredictability. Conclusion: sports betting should be legal too. The entire bridge from "legal" to "should be legal" rests only on shared unpredictability.
Step 2: Test option (A): stock investors consistently earn substantial profits.
This disputes the stated premise itself (that the market causes losses), rather than pointing to a new relevant difference between the two activities -- a narrower way to weaken.
Step 3: Test options (B) and (D): familiarity with sports versus the stock market, and the existence of a market regulator.
Neither points to the reason gambling specifically tends to be restricted -- popularity does not decide legality, and a regulator could equally be added for sports betting. Both fail to break the analogy on a relevant ground.
Step 4: Test option (C): aggressive marketing targeting vulnerable populations.
This is about company conduct, not an inherent difference between the two activities, so it does not undercut the claim that the two activities are fundamentally similar.
Step 5: Test option (E): stock market investments are less addictive than sports betting.
Addictiveness is precisely the kind of harm-to-vulnerable-individuals concern that legal systems commonly use as grounds to restrict an activity, separate from mere unpredictability. Since the whole analogy rested only on "unpredictability causing losses," showing that betting carries this added risk breaks the analogy on a legally relevant ground.
Final Answer: Stock market investments are less addictive than sports betting (Option E)
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