Popularity Of Gambling Research Articles

US Gambling Stagnation

Much has been written recently in the popular press about the rise of sports gambling, historical horse racing or instant racing (HHR), and esports. However, despite this, some note an overall decline in the popularity of gambling and gaming in general as horse racing (pari-mutuel) wagering has declined dramatically over the decades and as casino and lottery revenues have fallen slightly since before the Great Recession. This exploratory research note examines the trends in US gambling over the last several decades and explores whether the new forms of gambling will stem and reverse overall gambling stagnation in the United States. Despite reports of new gambling outlet successes, it appears that sports gambling, HHR, and esports have not done much to stop the overall fall in gambling revenues. This is probably due to stagnant disposable personal income growth.

Roles of Culture on Casino Gambling among Laotian Immigrants in the U.S.

The popularity of gambling among the Asian American population, including Southeast Asian immigrants, is well documented. Compared to other forms of gambling, Asians appear to primarily prefer casino gambling. Research suggests cultural factors might contribute to Asians’ casino gambling behavior. The leisure field, however, has yet to investigate Asians’ casino gambling from a cultural perspective. The purpose of this study was to examine the roles of acculturation and enculturation processes on casino gambling among Laotians. Data were collected through individual interviews with 13 participants whose origins were from Laos. The audiotaped interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded, and thematically analyzed. The findings indicated that enculturation played a critical role on participants’ casino gambling behavior whereas the impact of acculturation was not as clear. Also, casinos afforded participants space to play games, socialize, and enjoy some leisure time.

US Gambling Stagnation: Will New Gambling Forms Make a Difference?

Much has been written recently in the popular press about the rise of sports gambling, historical horse racing or instant racing (HHR), and esports. However, despite this, some note an overall decline in the popularity of gambling and gaming in general as horse racing (pari-mutuel) wagering has declined dramatically over the decades and as casino and lottery revenues have fallen slightly since before the Great Recession. This exploratory research note examines the trends in US gambling over the last several decades and explores whether the new forms of gambling will stem and reverse overall gambling stagnation in the United States. Despite reports of new gambling outlet successes, it appears that sports gambling, HHR, and esports have not done much to stop the overall fall in gambling revenues. This is probably due to stagnant disposable personal income growth.

Gamblers’ aces in the hole: the effect of erroneous cognitions on dysfunctional gambling

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether gambler’s cognitive errors affect gambling involvement and addiction. As the popularity of gambling has grown, questions are being raised about its excessive use and factors related to addictive behaviours. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey on 508 gamblers was conducted. Structural equation modelling was used to investigate the relationships among gambling beliefs, gambling involvement and problem gambling. Findings – Among the three sets of erroneous beliefs investigated, luck and superstition were significant predictors of both gambling involvement and the severity of gambling problems (according to the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)), while the illusion of control showed a negative relationship with the PGSI. Moreover, gambling involvement positively affected the potential risk of disease and mediates the relationship between luck and superstition and PGSI. Research limitations/implications – Because not all cognitive dimensions apparently influence gambling behaviour, future research should extend the analysis to include other variables that may moderate or mediate the causal relationship. Practical implications – The results are useful to marketers in developing social marketing campaigns wishing to discourage gambling. Moreover, factors that influence gambling involvement and addiction may be used as diagnostic tools to correct gamblers behaviour. Originality/value – The paper proposes a deeper exploration of the relationships among beliefs, gambling involvement and dysfunctional gambling and an appropriate scale to capture the entire spectrum of gambler’s beliefs in relation to every form of gambling activity.

CHINESE GAMBLERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF E-MARKETING MIX ELEMENTS FOR ONLINE CASINOS

Internet ubiquity has revolutionized numerous industries, making online shopping and auctions a profitable business sector that is now impacting on the casino industry. Different e-marketing approaches have been widely adopted by online casinos to facilitate betting transactions. The uniqueness of e-marketing is characterized via a series of specific and relational functions that are combined with the traditional 4Ps (Product, Price, Place and Promotion) to form the e-marketing mix elements. The renown and popularity of gambling on internet casinos is growing rapidly, with the online casino business seeing significant growth in Europe, Asia and South America. In China, there are twice as many online gamblers as there are online shoppers. In this study, the perceptions of Chinese gamblers are analyzed to find out: i) the demographic effect on their perceptions of e-marketing mix elements offered by online casinos; ii) the relationships between their perceptions of e-marketing mix elements. The results can provide a reference strategy for the investors in online casinos to develop e-marketing plans for the online businesses.

Demographic Analysis of Chinese Gamblers’ Perceptions of E-marketing Mix Elements Adopted by Online Casinos

The Internet explosion has revolutionized numerous industries, making online shopping and auctions into profitable business sectors. An increasingly important market sector is the casino industry. The profile and popularity of gambling on an internet casino is evolving rapidly, with the online gambling business seeing significant growth in Europe, Asia and South America. In China, there are twice as many online gamblers as there are Internet shoppers. In this study, the Chinese gamblers' perceptions of e-marketing mix elements offered by online casinos will be analyzed. The purpose is : i) to investigate the popular e- marketing tools supported by existing online casinos; ii) to evaluate the demographic effect on Chinese gamblers' perceptions of e-marketing mix elements. The results can provide a market reference for investors in online casinos. 

The role of acculturative stress and cultural backgrounds in migrants with pathological gambling

The objective of the present study was to differentiate specific migration-related factors that can account for an increased vulnerability to pathological gambling (PG) among migrants in Germany. One hundred and six gamblers (61 migrants, 45 Germans) with varying degrees of gambling problems participated in the study. We analysed (1) differences between migrants and Germans regarding gambling patterns, severity of gambling problems, motivation and craving; influence of (2) acculturative stress; (3) acceptance and popularity of gambling in the culture of origin on gambling problems; (4) differences between migrants and Germans regarding family gambling and peer gambling; and (5) differences in religiosity and its influence on gambling problems. Results suggest no differences between migrants and Germans regarding gambling patterns and the severity of gambling problems. However, findings indicate that migrants have higher motivation and craving to gamble. Findings further suggest that acculturative stress is associated with more severe gambling problems. In contrast, acceptance and popularity of gambling in the country of origin was not a significant predictor of gambling problems. At the same time, family gambling and peer gambling was significantly more prevalent among migrants, constituting an additional risk factor in the present sample. On the other hand, migrants in the sample benefit more often from a protective influence of religiosity.

Gambling Near-Misses Enhance Motivation to Gamble and Recruit Win-Related Brain Circuitry

Summary“Near-miss” events, where unsuccessful outcomes are proximal to the jackpot, increase gambling propensity and may be associated with the addictiveness of gambling, but little is known about the neurocognitive mechanisms that underlie their potency. Using a simplified slot machine task, we measured behavioral and neural responses to gambling outcomes. Compared to “full-misses,” near-misses were experienced as less pleasant, but increased desire to play. This effect was restricted to trials where the subject had personal control over arranging their gamble. Near-miss outcomes recruited striatal and insula circuitry that also responded to monetary wins; in addition, near-miss-related activity in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex varied as a function of personal control. Insula activity to near-misses correlated with self-report ratings as well as a questionnaire measure of gambling propensity. These data indicate that near-misses invigorate gambling through the anomalous recruitment of reward circuitry, despite the objective lack of monetary reinforcement on these trials.

What's Wrong With Addiction?

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Book ReviewsFull AccessWhat's Wrong With Addiction?Timothy Fong, M.D.Timothy FongSearch for more papers by this author, M.D.Published Online:1 Jan 2006https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.57.1.149-aAboutSectionsView EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail The most common questions I receive as an addiction psychiatrist are, "How do you know when someone is addicted?"; "Can't anything be considered addictive?"; and "How can you stand to work with addicts?" Interestingly, the answers to these questions are not simple. A number of theories have tried to explain the concept of addiction, often standing in stark contrast to one another. These theories range from the medical model (addiction as a neurobiological disease) to models of morality (addiction as conscious self-destruction).These are the primary issues that Helen Keane, Ph.D., takes on in her book What's Wrong With Addiction. The book is an extended analysis of the ambiguities of addiction. Keane is a research fellow at the National Centre in HIV Social Research at the University of New South Wales in Australia. Her principal theme is that discourse on addiction can have a powerful impact on society by influencing those who are involved in the decision-making process. Popular culture, politics, and the medical fields have portrayed addiction as a disease. As a result, addicts are considered to be without free will, "compelled" to stay with the addiction. As a result, freedom is lost, resulting in further stigmatization.Keane describes why it is considered "bad" to be labeled an addict and also explains how concepts of addiction are shaped through discourse surrounding its own definition, societal portrayal, political regulation, and scientific research. Addiction, for Keane, is not so much about lack of self-control as it is about perverse desire: "Addiction is a state marked by caring too much about the wrong things, and not enough about the right things."The book is divided into three sections. The first three chapters frame addiction as a disease of the individual by describing a pharmacologic understanding of how drugs lead to addiction, exploring the substance dependence syndrome, and discussing the impact of self-help literature on addiction. The middle chapters describe concepts of addiction to behaviors and substances other than drugs or alcohol—namely, nicotine, food, and sex. Conspicuously absent is an analysis of gambling with reference to concepts of addiction, which is surprising given the recent increase in the popularity of gambling as an activity and as an area of academic study.The book concludes with an analysis of the recovery process and how concepts of health, habit, and conduct are involved. Keane ends by describing addiction as a habit, not a disease. This conceptualization would in turn, she argues, remove the need for labeling patients with addictions as good versus bad or as motivated versus unmotivated and would instead focus on modifying habits that are already in place.Overall, What's Wrong With Addiction is written in a scholarly fashion and is designed primarily for anyone who has struggled to understand what it means to be addicted. Keane's work is thoughtful and thought provoking and incorporates elements of medical history and philosophy. The arguments are compelling, but the highly intellectualized writing and the abstract concepts presented make reading this book an investment of time and energy. It is not a clinically useful book, nor will it immediately help patients and families who are struggling to manage the direct consequences of addiction. Rather, this book's strength is in its delivery of an important reminder to all stakeholders who work with addiction to critically rethink current concepts of mental and medical health.Dr. Fong is assistant clinical professor at the Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital and director of the gambling studies program at the University of California, Los Angeles.by Helen Keane, Ph.D.; New York, New York University Press, 2002, 228 pages, $20 FiguresReferencesCited byDetailsCited byNone Volume 57Issue 1 January 2006Pages 149-a-150 Metrics History Published online 1 January 2006 Published in print 1 January 2006

Prevalence and correlates of youth gambling in Scotland

The present research had the purpose of establishing baseline rate for the prevalence of youth problem gambling in Scotland. A cluster-design involved the distribution of questionnaires to youngsters in a classroom setting, with twelve schools from across Glasgow and North Lanarkshire participating in the research. A total of 2,043 youngsters aged between eleven and sixteen years of age (mean = 13.7) particpated in the study, with each participant obtained representing one hundred and ninety young people aged between eleven and sixteen across Scotland. Two questionnaires were employed in the study, with the first being designed by the authors to investigate types, frequency and correlates of gambling, and the second being the DSM-IV-J (Fisher, ). The prevalence of problem gambling in this study was 9.0 percent, with a further 15.1 percent deemed to be at-risk gamblers. By far the most popular type of youth gambling was fruit machines, regardless of gambling group. The high rates of problem and at-risk gambling clearly highlights the popularity of gambling in modern society and moreover the need for appropriate intervention strategies aimed at youth problem gramblers, possibly as early as twelve years of age. Worryingly, treatment for problem gamblers is virtually non-existent in Scotland.

Managing the action: sports bookmakers as entrepreneurs

More and more states have moved to legalize various forms of gambling as a viable way to raise substantial revenues. And while some have considered adding sports betting to their menu of games, Nevada continues to be the only state where placing a bet on sports events is legal. This is both puzzling and ironic considering the popularity of gambling and the prominence of sports. Despite the lack of concrete knowledge about illegal sports betting, two justifications for keeping it illegal have dominated the public debate. The first has to do with whether legal sports betting could successfully compete with illegal operations were it to be legalized and the second has to do with a purported link between gambling on sports and organized crime. This paper focuses on the second line of argument and examines the social, organizational, and occupational features of bookmaking. If bookmakers are conduits for organized crime, as is claimed, there should be evidence of this in the day-to-day activities of bookmaking and in the career trajectories of bookmakers. The analysis is based upon interviews with 47 sports bookmakers working in the Rust Belt region. Drawing upon what sports bookies themselves have to say about their experiences in the business and their career trajectories, there appears to be little merit to the organized crime link argument. The analysis suggests that unlike other types of deviance, the social organization of bookmaking insulates bookies from the more typical consequences associated with frequent and prolonged deviant activity, for example, getting arrested, being prosecuted, serving time in prison, and forced association with other criminals. In fact, the findings suggest that bookies are more like entrepreneurs than criminals. While a single study cannot resolve the normative question about whether sports bookmaking should be criminalized, the findings do show that the social construction of bookmaking and bookmakers found in the public debate and popular culture does not reflect the reality of sports bookmaking.