Abstract
A survey of Bahamians explored the influence of the participant’s self-reported levels of religiosity on gambling behaviour. The study also investigated Bahamians’ motivations to participate in online games of chance. Results showed that religiosity was a significant predictor of motivations to not only attend these online games of chance but also the level in which these games were attended. The results are analysed in light of the uses and gratification paradigm while expanding the research into the connection of religiosity and gambling.
Highlights
Visitors to The Bahamas have been allowed to legally gamble in hotel casinos for decades, Bahamians only gained the right to legally gamble in The Bahamas in 2014 with the passage of three pieces of legislation: the Gaming Act, the Gaming Regulations, and the Gaming House Operator Regulation (Gaming Board for The Bahamas, 2020)
The study aimed at identifying motivations among Bahamians to engage in online games of chance, their level of religiosity, their affective response to these games, and the affect religiosity had on that affective response
Motivations to Spin Results showed the motivation to engage in online games of chance was most highly motivated by the prospect of winning money (M = 6.52, SD = 0.90) and escaping everyday activities (M = 5.01, SD = 1.93)
Summary
Visitors to The Bahamas have been allowed to legally gamble in hotel casinos for decades, Bahamians only gained the right to legally gamble in The Bahamas in 2014 with the passage of three pieces of legislation: the Gaming Act, the Gaming Regulations, and the Gaming House Operator Regulation (Gaming Board for The Bahamas, 2020). Legislation prohibited Bahamians from playing in any game of chance. In spite of its prohibition, Bahamians had a long history of participation in gambling activities. Enterprising numbers men have formed companies and have computerized the process allowing for official printouts and even online wagering—even before the passage of legislation allowing Bahamian legal participation. Continue to be banned from playing in brick and mortar casinos as that is reserved for tourists or nonBahamians
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