Problem gambling among Czech adolescents: An exploration of its relationship to early initiation of tobacco smoking

Background and aims: Gambling in adolescence is often related to licit and illicit substance use. Some evidence shows that teenage smokers gamble more than non-smokers. The aim of the study is to analyze the relationship between problem gambling and smoking among Czech adolescents. Methods: Data on 6,082 adolescents (50.1% boys and 49.9% girls) aged 15–19 years were collected a part of the ESPAD study in the Czech Republic in 2015. Logistic regression and linear regression models were used to test the hypothesis that the early onset of daily smoking increases the risk of problem gambling. Results: The age of initiation of daily smoking seems to be a more reliable marker of the risk of problem gambling than smoking status or intensity of smoking. More than 20% of smokers who started smoking daily at the age of 12 years or earlier are at risk of problem gambling, which shows a significantly increased probability compared to non-smokers (OR = 2.7). Other factors that increase the chances of becoming a problem gambler include being male, of higher age, and a student of a secondary school. Discussion and conclusions: The relationship between adolescent smoking and gambling is complex and is likely to be influenced by other underlying factors. Early daily smokers and at-risk gamblers tend in a similar way to risky behavior as a result of impulsivity. Interventions targeting early smoking and other substance-use behavior should not only aim at quitting smoking but could also include preventing smokers from developing problem gambling

Economic and social impacts of gambling in the Czech Republic

Gambling represents a significant part of the Czech economy which generates profits as high as dozens of billions CZK to the operators every year. Main share of the market is formed by technical games and slot machines. The thesis deals only with this specified section of gambling and tries to describe economic and social impacts of gambling from two different views. It proceeds with regression analysis at level of districts first time based on the Czech data and then describes the problematic at the local level in Prague. The results show connection of gambling with negative economic and social environment. Gamblers lost more money in districts with higher unemployment or social benefits payments and higher economic criminality. Gambling negatively influences also family background and the number of tradesmen. On the other hand, gambling based on foreign visitors is not seen to be connected with any negative consequences. The local analysis confirms differences between casinos and gambling houses and their low respect to rules. Pawnshops and other non-representative businesses can be found near gambling houses, more importantly the connection of gambling with criminality can be also found at local level. Thesis presents a complex overview of slot machine gambling in the Czech Republic and alerts readers..

Economic and social impacts of gambling in the Czech Republic

Hazard v České republice tvoří nezanedbatelný trh, který každoročně provozovatelům generuje zisky v řádu desítek miliard Kč. Většinový podíl na českém hazardním trhu tvoří technické hry a výherní hrací přístroje, zjednodušeně automaty. Tato práce se výhradně zabývá dopady a souvislostmi automatového hazardu v České republice, a to ze dvou odlišných hledisek. Nejprve pomocí regresní analýzy jako první na českých datech zkoumá dopady a souvislosti hazardu na úrovni okresů České republiky, posléze se věnuje hazardu na lokální úrovni pomocí terénního výzkumu pražských provozoven. Výsledky ukazují na propojení hazardu s negativními sociálními i ekonomickými jevy. Hráči více prohrávají v oblastech s vyšší nezaměstnaností či výplatou sociálních dávek a vyšší hospodářskou kriminalitou. Hazard negativně ovlivňuje rodinné soužití a živnostenské podnikání. Bez pozorovaných negativních dopadů naopak působí hazard cílící na zahraniční turisty. Lokální analýza potvrzuje rozdílný charakter kasin a heren a jejich nízký respekt k předpisům. V blízkosti heren se vyskytují zastavárny a další nereprezentativní prostory, souvislost hazardu s kriminalitou lze pozorovat i na lokální úrovni. Práce tak nabízí ucelený pohled na problematiku automatového hazardu v České republice a upozorňuje na jeho propojení s negativními...Gambling represents a significant part of the Czech economy which generates profits as high as dozens of billions CZK to the operators every year. Main share of the market is formed by technical games and slot machines. The thesis deals only with this specified section of gambling and tries to describe economic and social impacts of gambling from two different views. It proceeds with regression analysis at level of districts first time based on the Czech data and then describes the problematic at the local level in Prague. The results show connection of gambling with negative economic and social environment. Gamblers lost more money in districts with higher unemployment or social benefits payments and higher economic criminality. Gambling negatively influences also family background and the number of tradesmen. On the other hand, gambling based on foreign visitors is not seen to be connected with any negative consequences. The local analysis confirms differences between casinos and gambling houses and their low respect to rules. Pawnshops and other non-representative businesses can be found near gambling houses, more importantly the connection of gambling with criminality can be also found at local level. Thesis presents a complex overview of slot machine gambling in the Czech Republic and alerts readers...Institute of Economic StudiesInstitut ekonomických studiíFakulta sociálních vědFaculty of Social Science

Ovládnutí státu jako deformace trhu: Dopady politických konexí v České republice

Firmy s politickými konexemi mohou čerpat rentu, která jim významně zlepší finanční výsledky, ale toto jednání přináší celospolečenské náklady ve formě deformací trhu. Tato diplomová práce představuje první empirickou analýzu personálních politických konexí na ministry ve vládě v České republice. V práci odhadujeme hodnotu politických konexí a zkoumáme přidělování dotací a veřejných zakázek jako formy získávání renty s využitím firemních dat od roku 1993 do roku 2015. Firmy s politickými konexemi mají signifikantně horší výsledky než jejich obdobní konkurenti, ale v průběhu napojení na ministra ve funkci své výsledky lehce zlepšují. Napojené firmy též získávají signifikantně větší objem dotací, což potvrzuje přidělování dotací jako jednu z forem získávání renty. Výsledky jsou robustní pro obě metody, jak pro regrese na průřezových datech, tak pro párování na základě pozorovaných proměnných a propensity skóre. Firmy nejspíše usilují o politické konexe, když se nacházejí ve špatné finanční situaci a vidí dobývání renty skrze konexe jako jediný způsob setrvání na trhu. Přidělování dotací vychýlené směrem k firmám s politickými konexemi vytváří značné deformace na trhu zvláště v odvětvích, kde jsou firmy na dotacích závislé, jako je například zemědělství, a v těchto oblastech může vést k významnému poškození...Politically connected firms may extract rent which significantly improves their financial performance, but with social costs to others in form of market distortions. The thesis presents the first empirical analysis of personal political connections to government ministers in the Czech Republic. We estimated value of political connections and inspected subsidies and public procurements allocation as channels of rent extraction on firm-level data set of 1993-2015 period. For both approaches, cross-section regressions and dynamic matching on covariates and propensity score, we found that connected firms significantly underperform their similar rivals, but slightly improve their performance over the time of connection to minister in office. Connected firms gain significantly more subsidies which confirms subsidy allocation as a channel of rent extraction. We interpret our results that firms may seek political connections as the last option how to improve their bad financial results and remain on the market. Biased subsidy allocation to connected firms in sectors where firms are dependent on subsidies like agriculture creates market distortions and could lead to significant consumer harm.Institute of Economic StudiesInstitut ekonomických studiíFaculty of Social SciencesFakulta sociálních vě

State capture as market distortion: Effect of political connections in the Czech Republic

Politically connected firms may extract rent which significantly improves their financial performance, but with social costs to others in form of market distortions. The thesis presents the first empirical analysis of personal political connections to government ministers in the Czech Republic. We estimated value of political connections and inspected subsidies and public procurements allocation as channels of rent extraction on firm-level data set of 1993-2015 period. For both approaches, cross-section regressions and dynamic matching on covariates and propensity score, we found that connected firms significantly underperform their similar rivals, but slightly improve their performance over the time of connection to minister in office. Connected firms gain significantly more subsidies which confirms subsidy allocation as a channel of rent extraction. We interpret our results that firms may seek political connections as the last option how to improve their bad financial results and remain on the market. Biased subsidy allocation to connected firms in sectors where firms are dependent on subsidies like agriculture creates market distortions and could lead to significant consumer harm