The psychosocial correlates of adolescent gambling behavior were assessed among 7th, 9th, and 11 th graders. Participants (N = 587) completed questionnaires concerning their gambling behavior, coping skills, locus of control, depression, and substance use. Adolescents were grouped into 1 of 4 groups based upon their performance on the DSM-IV-J (Fisher, 1992) gambling screen: non-gamblers, social gamblers, problem gamblers, and probable pathological gamblers. This research examined whether individuals belonging to the 4 groups differ with respect to locus of control, coping skills, depression, and substance use. Results indicated that probable pathological gamblers were characterized by an external locus of control and reported higher levels of maladaptive coping styles, depression, and regular substance use than non-gamblers and social gamblers. Logistic regression analyses suggest that coping skills, locus of control, substance use, and depression alone do not adequately predict pathological gambling, but do seem to play an important role in the etiology nonetheless. Implications are discussed.

No description available.

It has been suggested that gambling behaviour may not be solely controlled by schedules of reinforcement, but may be under the control of verbal behaviour. Relational frame theory is a contemporary account of verbal behaviour which may be able to account for aspects of gambling behaviour that cannot be explained by a pure schedule of reinforcement account. Chapter 2 demonstrated that contextual cues may influence preferences for concurrently available slot-machines, thus overriding the contingencies of reinforcement in place. Chapter 3 demonstrated that the presence of accurate or inaccurate rules may influence slot-machine choice and affect gambling persistence. Participants that received inaccurate rules regarding the payout probability of a slot machine, gambled for longer than those given accurate rules. Chapter 4 reported that the discriminative functions of slot-machines could be transformed in accordance with derived same and opposite relations, such that participants showed preferences for slot-machines that had never been experienced before. Chapter 5 demonstrated that not only could preferences for concurrently available slot machines be transformed in accordance with derived comparative relations, but found that preferences for slot machines increased relative to the relational network that had been trained. In Chapter 6, ratings of wins, near-misses and losses on a computer simulated slot-machine could be altered in accordance with derived same and opposite relations, and could even override the non-arbitrary properties of a slot-machine. It was concluded that gambling is verbal behaviour and can be accounted for by derived relations and the transformation of function. These findings may explain instances of gambling behaviour which cannot be accounted for by the direct acting contingencies.

This dissertation examines social and political conflict over gambling policy in the United States and Brazil from 1960 to the present with a particular focus on New York City and Rio de Janeiro. The study accounts for the process by which illegal numbers gambling in New York and the jogo do bicho in Rio de Janeiro were determined to be the basis for widespread corruption and lawlessness. As policy makers proposed enhanced government lotteries as a solution for the problem of illegal gambling, numerous groups scrambled for position within shifting gambling frameworks. Tens of thousands of persons who had long worked in illegal numbers networks pressed for access to legal gambling jobs, corporate entities partnering with government lotteries pushed to secure monopoly concessions, while many citizens and religious groups opposed any and all forms of gambling legalization. As gambling workers, bettors, clergy, police officers, politicians and corporate lobbyists all struggled over how gambling would be conducted going forward, an intense debate unfolded in both Brazil and the United States with issues relating to police corruption, welfare, public safety, state sovereignty, personal liberty, and distribution of the tax burden all under examination. While there are many comparative elements of this study, it is ultimately transnational in that the narrative histories of gambling policy in Brazil and the United States eventually converge through the gambling technology corporation Gtech, which emerged as a powerhouse in the government lottery sectors of both nations. As the low stakes illegal gambling games of the numbers and the jogo do bicho are suppressed in favor of legal government lotteries, a vast new array of gambling habits are introduced to the gambling public in both Brazil and the United States. Of particular importance to this study is the growth of multimillion-dollar jackpot games offered by governments and their corporate partners. As players leave behind the old games with their reasonable odds and their modest payouts, they take up new games with astronomical odds and obscene jackpots. In the argument of this study, jackpot style gambling has brought the gambling habits of the poor and working classes into accord with contemporary patterns of wealth distribution.

The gambling policy of Hong Kong had been adopted for more than thirty years without any significant changes since the introducing of the Gambling Ordinance (Chapter 148) in accordance with the Betting Duty Ordinance (Chapter 108) in the 1970s. Under the ordinances, all gambling activities which were not played on a social occasion for non-business purpose were unlawful except some specifically permission offered by the Home Affairs Bureau (HAB). Among all these exemptions, horse race betting and the Mark Six Lottery were the most prevalent and influential gambling activities. Hong Kong Jockey Club was the sole operator to organize these two gambling activities under SHA’s supervision. Over the past decade, the Government has revised and implemented a series of new initiatives including the authorization and regulation of football betting, a reformation of duty system for horse race betting, and allowing additional local horse racedays and simulcast of international horse races for betting. The Government claims that a practical and pragmatic approach has been adopted in the formulation of gambling policy so that the balance of demand and views of opposition can be made. However, concern groups worry that such initiatives will encourage more people to take part in gambling activities, which may induce many social problems. This paper will attempt to adopt the analytical framework of Kenneth J. Meier’s model of policy process to evaluate the policy outcomes and social impact from the reformation of gambling policy in Hong Kong by illustrating the interaction between four clusters of political actors during three different phases of the policy process. / published_or_final_version / Politics and Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Journalism and Media Studies Centre / Master / Master of Journalism

For many individuals, gambling is regarded as a recreational activity, a socially encompassed pastime. For the individuals who partook in the present study, gambling is an Achilles heel at which the individuals were hopelessly at the mercy of. Initially a ‘fun’ activity, gambling emerged as an activity that provided both an aspect of enjoyment and escapism. Later, as the behaviour increased, interpersonal and intrapersonal consequences emerged; which eventually led participants to take action and break free from the activity once experienced as recreational and now as a “monster”. The aim of the study was to explore the lived experience of six South African individuals who met the criteria for a gambling disorder. Both a phenomenological approach and ecological perspective were used to elicit the essence of this particular phenomenon as experienced by the participants. Purposive sampling procedures were implemented. Data was collected through the use of a biographical questionnaire and individual, open ended conversations with six gamblers. The data was processed and analysed according to qualitative data processing and analysis procedures. Due to the gap in qualitative research in this particular area, specifically in the South African context, this research study has the potential to create a better understanding of the lived experience of gambling addiction through the shared experiences of participants.

Fifty-two individuals 60 years of age or older participated in this research study. This study is of significance because as opportunities to gamble are becoming more available and accessible, older adults are participating in gambling activities for leisure and recreational benefits. This phenomenon is of concern because older adults may be at risk for problems related to gambling that they may not be able to recover from. Furthermore, senior center directors and social workers need to know how to assess, evaluate and intervene with older adults who may have gambling problems or problems related to their gambling behavior.

published_or_final_version / Urban Studies / Master / Master of Social Sciences

In light of the findings of a pilot study by this researcher, entitled a study of the behaviour and strategies of responsible gamblers, it is vital that responsible gambling behaviour in the Eastern Cape be researched more thoroughly. The pilot study found that many ordinary gamblers experience cognitive distortions which may predispose them to varying levels of gambling problems, as well as specific biographical attributes that may determine such an outcome. The present study aims to address the limitations and recommendations put forward by the pilot study, namely its relatively small scale, and lack of generalisability as a result of sampling from a single gambling population. This project set out to assess gambling behaviour, and more so responsible gambling practices, to be able to conclude how, and in what form, responsible gambling takes place. The research was conducted USll1g a sample of one-hundred-and-thirty-seven gamblers from Hemingway's Casino in East London to develop data and establish norms on general gambling behaviour over a week, by administration of a survey questionnaire. The analysis of the data focussed on areas such as the link between gender and gambling behaviour, amount earned and amount spent on gambling, age and gambling trends as well as belief in luck and chances to win. Finally, the strategies (if any) used by gamblers to avoid problem gambling or overspending were assessed, and described by the gamblers themselves, and added to the results of the research. The results indicate that the majority of gamblers in the Eastern Cape are responsible, but many do still exhibit cognitive distortions and other behaviours that might put them at risk for problem gambling. With these results it is possible to provide basic data and information about the nature of gambling in the East London area that can be added to previous (as well as subsequent) studies, in order to build a clearer and more representative picture of the gambling situation in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.