Homo Aleator: a sociological study of gambling in western society

The subject of this thesis is the nature and form of gambling in western society. Unlike other academic studies, which approach the subject in piecemeal fashion and treat it as essentially problematic, this research aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the activity by situating the phenomenological experience of modern gambling within a formal and historical framework, and examining it from a variety of theoretical perspectives. This thesis is divided into five Chapters. The first describes the historical development of the concept of chance and argues that, after a lengthy period in which it existed first as a sacred and later as an epistemological category, in the twentieth century chance was secularised and ascribed ontological status as an explanatory feature of the modern world. In Chapter Two, a study of the historical development of gambling forms, the social affiliation of the various groups associated with them complements the outline of chance given in Chapter One. Here it is argued that the nature of these games reflected wider social attitudes towards the perception of randomness, and also the general configuration of the society in which they were played. The development of games from their genesis in divination ritual to their formation into a recognisably modern gambling economy, is also traced, and the historical specificity of their various forms examined. The formal parameters and phenomenological experience of the gambling economy - the 'phenomenological sites' - is the subject of Chapter Three. It is argued that commercial organisation of games of chance in the late twentieth century is beginning to overcome the traditional stratification that for years has determined the social formation of gambling forms

‘The notorious gambling class’: Patterns of gambling among young people in Denmark: a longitudinal qualitative study

In this study, using a three wave qualitative longitudinal data set, we explored patterns of change in gambling behavior among a sample of young Danes. A total of 48 informants participated in all three sweeps of interviews. The overall aim was to explore the complexities and social contexts, as well as the subjective meanings that underlie gambling behavior changes. We identified four different types of gambling pathways, each illustrating different types of movement over time: intensification; reduction; stability, and those that were non-linear. Our overall finding was that transitions or oscillations in behavior are more common than a progressive linear gambling pattern, and that these changes are affected by a number of contextual factors. The implications for further research and policy are discussed

'Risky places?': mapping gambling machine density and socio-economic deprivation

The aims of this project were to map the location and density of gambling machines in Britain; to explore whether geographic areas with higher densities of machines exist and to examine the socio-economic characteristics of these areas relative to others. Using geospatial analysis of premises records, we identified 8861 Machine Zones which were areas with a 400 meter radius around gambling machine venue and 384 High Density Machine Zones (HDMZ) with 1 or more gambling machine per hectare. There was a significant correlation between machine density and socio-economic deprivation. HDMZs had greater levels of income deprivation, more economically inactive people and a younger age profile than other areas; 37 % of those living in HDMZs were economically inactive compared with 33 % of those in non-machine areas. HDMZs were in seaside locations but also New Towns or satellite towns to major urban areas. Area affluence explains some of this pattern; of the New Towns with HDMZs, 78 % were in New Towns with a high proportion of low income areas. We therefore concluded that the distribution of gambling machines in Great Britain, in line with other international jurisdictions, displays a significant association with areas of socio-economic deprivation. The profile of the resident population living in HDMZs mirrors the profile of those most at-risk of experiencing harm from gambling. This spatial pattern has important implications for assessing the relationship between gambling availability and gambling-related harm, and for the future development of policy, harm-prevention and treatment strategies

Responsible gambling signage on electronic gaming machines, before and after the implementation of the United Kingdom Gambling Act: An observational study

The 2005 Gambling Act in Britain requires all gambling operators to satisfy responsibility codes as a condition of licence, such as signage on electronic machines, and in the venues in which they are located, encouraging responsible gambling and signposting help available. This observational study found that eighteen months prior to the implementation of the Act, only 4.1% of the 1,351 electronic machines located in Glasgow City Centre displayed signs promoting responsible gambling and signposting the national Gamcare helpline. One month after the introduction of the Act, which stipulated that all machines must display such signage, this was only evident on 65% of machines. Other responsible gambling signage (posters, signs, leaflets, brochures) was not highly visible in either phase. These findings highlight two important points; first, most sectors of the gambling industry are not embracing the new social responsibility codes (or indeed even adhering to them); and, second, if licensing conditions are not made explicit, as is the case in Britain, the gambling industry can dictate what is meant by ‘responsible’ and so define what measures are sufficient to meet this criteria

Gambling harm: a global problem requiring global solutions

No abstract available

Gambling and public health: we need policy action to prevent harm

No abstract available

Regulatory Resistance?:Narratives and Uses of Evidence around "Black Market" Provision of Gambling during the British Gambling Act Review

Commercial gambling is increasingly viewed as being part of the unhealthy commodities industries, in which products contribute to preventable ill-health globally. Britain has one of the world’s most liberal gambling markets, meaning that the regulatory changes there have implications for developments elsewhere. A review of the British Gambling Act 2005 is underway. This has generated a range of actions by the industry, including mobilising arguments around the threat of the “black market”. We critically explore industry’s framing of these issues as part of their strategy to resist regulatory change during the Gambling Act review. We used a predefined review protocol to explore industry narratives about the “black market” in media reports published between 8 December 2020 and 26 May 2021. Fifty-five articles were identified and reviewed, and themes were narratively synthesised to examine industry framing of the “black market”. The black market was framed in terms of economic threat and loss, and a direct connection was made between its growth and increased regulation. The articles mainly presented gambling industry perspectives uncritically, citing industry-generated evidence (n = 40). Industry narratives around the “black market” speak to economically and emotionally salient concerns: fear, safety, consumer freedom and economic growth. This dominant framing in political, mainstream and industry media may influence political and public opinion to support the current status quo: “protecting” the existing regulated market rather than “protecting” people. Debates should be reframed to consider all policy options, especially those designed to protect public health

The ‘FFAB’ project: Lessons learned from an early health intervention for male sports bettors

Background: Sports betting is a growth area for the gambling industry with football fans becoming a key target of advertising. This demographic is also one at elevated risk from gambling harm. This paper reflects on the NIHR-funded Football Fans and Betting project (FFAB) - an innovative early health intervention with football fans (aged 18-55) who gamble regularly to reduce their betting. Methods: We will present findings from interviews and observations to reflect on the delivery of our 8-week intervention delivered by 4 clubs’ Community Trust Coaches - Leicester, Preston North End, Accrington Stanley, and Blackpool. Planned as a feasibility study and pilot RCT, FFAB's feasibility learnings led to the development of a different model than originally proposed. Results: Preliminary findings suggest (1) there is a clear need for an early health intervention for men looking to reduce their betting. (2) Overcoming shame and stigma are significant barriers to recruitment in a study like this. (3) Conducting independent research with football clubs, given their complex sponsorship arrangements, presents multiple challenges. (4) relatedly, while recruitment was easier in smaller more locally rooted clubs, they faced more challenges for resources which led to difficulties with retention on the programme. Conclusions: FFAB is the first intervention of its kind and has lessons for interventions with underserved groups more widely. We identified the need for more focused pre-recruitment work on changing understandings of gambling through public health-focused education. We believe more recognition and visibility of a public health approach to gambling in the wider population would help to de-stigmatise language and discussion of gambling and lessen the challenges of engaging our target group. We recommend a more grassroots, localised approach to future early health interventions of this nature. In doing so, we believe that we could minimise many of the challenges we faced in delivery

Paying attention to women's ageing bodies in recovery from substance use

Background: Health-related research on women who use drugs tends to focus on reproductive and sexual health and treatment. Missing from the picture is an exploration of mid-life and older women’s bodily experiences of transitioning from long-term substance use into recovery. While there are a growing number of studies that explore the intersection of drug use and ageing, the gaps in analysis lie in the intersections between drug use, recovery, ageing, gender, and the body. Methods: In-depth qualitative interviews were undertaken with 19 women in the UK who self-identified as ‘in recovery’ from illicit drug use. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis techniques. The study received ethical approval from the University of Glasgow. Results: Key findings from the interviews relate to the women’s personal sense of power in relation to current and future health status, the challenges they endured in terms of ageing in recovery and transitioning through the reproductive life cycle, and the somatic effects of trauma on women’s recovery. The findings demonstrate that health in recovery involves more than abstinence from drugs. Discussion: Moving from the body in active drug use to the body in recovery is not without its challenges for mid-life and older women. New sensations and feelings - physical and mental - must be re-interpreted in light of their ageing and drug-free bodies. This study reveals some of the substantive sex-based differences that older women in active drug use and recovery experience. This has important implications for healthcare and treatment for women in drug services and women with histories of drug use more generally