Between anti-gambling and masculinity: mahjong playing among Japanese gay men

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to explore the construction of gender norms in gambling through qualitative research and, specifically in relation to the behavior, spatial arrangements, and relationships with objects among gay men. Based on data collected in the Kinki region of Japan from 2021 to 2023, this paper examines gambling from the perspective of gay individuals who hold an anti-gambling stance. The paper considers gambling as a performative act that constructs masculinity and uses actor-network theory to investigate how actors in the context of mahjong parlors construct masculinity. Through this approach, the paper examines this as a dynamic and constructive process in gambling. It meticulously describes the diverse ways in which research participants perceive the relationship between gambling and masculinity, shedding light on the private spaces that are often marginalized from the public norms of gambling. Unlike existing psychological and psychopathological studies on gambling, this paper focuses on the actual practice of gambling through long-term participant observation from an anthropological perspective, fostering a more dynamic and constructive discussion.