Thirukkural, a timeless classic in ancient Tamil literature authored by Thiruvalluvar, encompasses various aspects of human life and offers profound insights into moral and ethical conduct. In this paper, we attempt to explore the themes within the couplets in the gambling chapter of Thirukural through an inductive thematic analysis approach. The themes that emerged were the negative consequences of gambling, the addictive nature of gambling, and the prescription against gambling, offering timeless guidance for navigating the complexities of gambling behaviors, disorders, and treatments. Additionally, this research examines the applicability of Thirukkural's teachings to modern-day gambling scenarios, considering the evolving nature of gambling practices and the ethical challenges they present.
The study aimed to examine the prevalence and consequences of Social Network Addiction (SNA) among Palestinian youth. SNA is a distinct form of digital addiction that can significantly impact mental health among young people. The research sample consisted of 16-20 years old of both genders (n=722) and by employing four psychometric tools, SNA scale, Youngs' internet addiction scale, General well-being scale and the Quality-of-Life scale. The findings showed that 45.8% of the sample exhibited addictive behavior related to social networking sites. The General Well-being of the studied sample was negatively associated with social networks addiction (r = -.315; p < .01), while the hierarchical regression analysis demonstrated that the Quality of Life was the most impactful predictor to interpret the General Well-being within the studied sample. Although the research suggested a number of risk factors that may interpret the demographic variations regarding SNA prevalence among the sample, the research recommends further studies to explore and explain the phenomena within the Arabic culture.
The objective of this study was to investigate gambling industry organizations' arguments on X (formerly Twitter), as a lobbying strategy to influence deregulation of the state online gambling monopoly in Finland. Primary data were collected on X between January and April 2023 from the Finnish Gambling Association (n=155 tweets). The X data were analyzed by coding using Microsoft Excel and by thematic content analysis using a framework developed by the researchers. The results identified six argument categories: (1) promotional content in the form of self-promotion, (2) licensing system will enable offshore gambling companies to be taxed, (3) the current gambling model does not succeed in competition, (4) political support for the licensing system from Members of Parliament, (5) using other countries' licensed models to advocate for the licensing system, and (6) licensing system will have a better chance to deal with gambling problems. The study concluded that X offered an opportunity for the Finnish Gambling Association to influence the deregulation of the state online gambling monopoly in Finland, which will be replaced with a licensing system from 2026 onwards.
Children and young people (CYP) are high consumers of loot boxes, raising concerns about the impact of a convergence of gaming and gambling-related harms and their potential negative developmental outcomes in adulthood. Especially, given evidence that practitioners and parents/carers are lacking awareness of the risks of converging gaming-gambling environments. Addressing these risks necessitates understanding the experiences of gaming and gambling-related harm within healthcare systems. This study aimed to gain insights from individuals with previous lived experience of gaming and/or gambling-related harm in the context of CYP and healthcare systems. A qualitative design was adopted using two semi-structured online focus groups, involving five participants with previous lived experience of gaming and/or gambling-related harm. Focus groups explored their experiences of healthcare services and barriers to support in the journey through harm and recovery. Thematic analysis of the data revealed five key themes: i) Escapism; ii) Identity; iii) Preventative Education; iv) Safer Environments; v) Health-based Narratives. Results suggested a convergence of gaming and gambling-related harm in terms of patterns of experiences of escapism and internalising harm with identity, highlighting the need for safer environments and preventative approaches to protect CYP against novel risks of harm through healthcare systems. The results suggest that preventative approaches need to understand the virtual worlds of CYP and the importance of digital resilience. Implications for practitioners, services, policy makers, and regulators seeking to protect CYP from the risks of gaming and gambling-related harm are discussed.
Randomness, a core concept of gambling, is seen in problem gambling as responsible for the formation of the math-related cognitive distortions, especially the Gambler’s Fallacy. In problem-gambling research, the concept of randomness was traditionally referred to as having a mathematical nature and categorized and approached as such. Randomness is not a mathematical concept, and I argue that its weak mathematical dimension is not decisive at all for the randomness-related issues in gambling and problem gambling, including the correction of the misconceptions and fallacies about probability and statistical concepts applied in gambling. I distinguish between mathematical and nonmathematical dimensions of randomness (the epistemic, the theoretical-methodological, the functional, and the ethical) falling within the general concept, and I argue that both the studies having as object the math-related cognitive distortions among gamblers and the educational programs aiming at correcting them should employ this distinction in their design and content.
Background. Sports betting is a rapidly growing addictive behavior, especially among young adults. As such, there is a need for measuring problem sports betting behaviors and consequences separately from established generalized gambling measures. The present study provides support for a sports betting adaptation of the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI-SB). Methods. We recruited a sample (N=221) of young adults aged 18-29 (M-age=24.4; 22% female; 13.2% Hispanic; 68.6% college degree) from 36 different US states. Eligibility criteria included >= 2 sports betting days in the past month. Results. Confirmatory factor analyses showed support for both a single and two-factor model with subscales for problematic behavior (e.g., dependence) and negative consequences. The PGSI-SB was strongly correlated with the original PGSI in terms of scale-level and item-level correlations (i.e., convergent validity). Aim 3 established predictive validity of the single-factor PGSI-SB via significant associations with three indices of past two-week sports betting: frequency, number of bets, and total amount wagered. Predictive validity for the two-factor model was impacted by multicollinearity, given high correlation between subscales. Conclusions. Findings establish the merits of a dedicated problem sports betting measure for young adults, which is a key step towards enhancing the quality and consistency of sports betting research.
Media reports noted that video gaming behaviours increased during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some people may have had predisposing risk factors for excessive gaming and related problems during the onset of the pandemic. We examined pathways from four personality risk traits (i.e., hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, and sensation seeking) to excessive gaming and related problems during the first month of the pandemic. We predicted that people high in anxiety sensitivity and hopelessness would engage in excessive gaming to cope with increased distress. We also predicted that the isolation and boredom resulting from the COVID-19 lockdown would lead those high in impulsivity and sensation seeking to game excessively to enhance their mood. Participants (N=332), recruited via Prolific, completed a single survey of their retrospective gaming behaviours for 30 days prior to, and 30 days following the initiation of the COVID-19 state of emergency (March 2020). People high in anxiety sensitivity were initially at risk for excessive gaming and related problems due to elevated coping and self-gratification motives. People high in hopelessness were at risk for increased gaming-related problems through coping and self-gratification motives. Contrary to hypotheses, participants high in sensation-seeking had more excessive gaming and related problems due to elevated coping (but not enhancement) motives. Those high in impulsivity were at risk of gaming-related problems due to self-gratification (but not enhancement) motives. Addressing the motivation to game can assist in tailoring treatment plans to individual needs, especially as we continue to navigate the longer-term impacts of the pandemic.
Objective : The current research aimed to examine the biopsychosocial characteristic profile of online gamblers, relative to land -based exclusive gamblers, both concurrently and prospectively in a large national cohort of Canadian adults. Method : This cohort was recruited from Leger Opinion's registered panel of online participants. In addition to demographic information, the survey battery included assessment of comorbidities of disordered gambling (substance use disorder and other behavioral addictions), level of stress, past year life events, presence of mental health disorders, impulsivity, gambling engagement, gambling fallacies, family history of problem gambling, past year problem gambling and gambling -related harm. The 1 -year follow-up survey was completed by 55.9% of this cohort. Results : Significant differences between online and land -based exclusive gamblers were detected on all gambling engagement measures at baseline. For example, those who gamble via online platforms spend more time gambling than land -based exclusive gamblers (M = 58.86 versus M = 20.13 hours respectively), engage in more types of gambling (M = 4.10 versus M = 2.46) and incur greater gambling losses (M = $-960.56 versus M = $-382.84). Both the concurrent and prospective predictive analyses indicate that access to legal online gambling, increased frequency of engagement, higher impulsivity, younger age, and being male are variables that robustly and significantly predict gambling engagement via an online platform. Conclusions : The results of this study indicate while there are some robust factors that distinguish online from land -based exclusive gamblers, online gamblers are psychosocially a heterogenous group that does tend to engage in gambling to a greater extent than land -based exclusive gamblers. Additional longitudinal research is required examining the individual characteristics of online gamblers as this sub -population does appear to differ from that of land -based exclusive gamblers.
This paper examines an innovation by the game industry that makes it possible to earn credits for gift cards while playing video games. This turns video gaming into something like an indirect form of gambling. One spends money to win awards through gift cards. It is indirect because the player spends money on one or more game software applicationss, and then uses a different software application to collect the rewards. For this paper we downloaded one of these payment application and several games to examine how much money one can earn, incentives to spend money, and the potential risk of these applications. Additional issues related to gambling content and advertising in these software applications are also discussed. It is argued that governments regulators need to examine this type of scheme to determine if it is gambling and if regulations are needed to protect consumers, especially youth, and to monitor the integrity of the game.
An increase in legal avenues of gambling in the United States has led to growing concern over gambling-related harms and criminal consequences associated with Gambling Disorder. Data for the current study is drawn from a survey of Gambler's Anonymous members. Prevalence of social, economic, and criminal/legal gambling-related harms is considered. Additional analysis includes whether gambling-related harms differ based on gender. Findings include substantial similarities between men and women concerning the types and prevalence of social, economic, and criminal/legal harms. Results offer increased knowledge to better understand the progression of Gambling Disorder which may help explain and potentially prevent gambling-motivated crime.
The influence of technological changes on the gambling landscape, coupled with the persistent challenges of prevalence and relapse rates, especially among already disadvantaged population sectors, highlights the need for expanding treatment provision and a comprehensive approach to addressing gambling problems. The aim of this study was to identify the relationship between time perspective and life-sense orientations in people with gambling disorder in a rehabilitation setting. The study involved 42 respondents (70% male and 30% female; mean age: 24.6; SD = 2.4) who completed a gambling rehabilitation program at the "XXX" rehabilitation center for 6 months (due to the confidentiality of the information, the name was removed). The Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory and Leontiev's Life-Purpose Orientations test were administered immediately prior to and following the rehabilitation program. The research results revealed the dynamics in the development of positive correlations between time perspective and life-sense orientations in people with gambling disorder, which may be indicative of time perspective harmonization and an increasing interest in building a meaningful life beyond gambling. The study's findings expand and deepen existing psychological understandings of time perspective and life-sense orientations in people with gambling disorder.
The intertwining of video games and gambling, known as simulated gambling, has prompted concerns about the potential influence of simulated gambling as a stepping stone towards monetary gambling. Previous studies tend to focus overwhelmingly on loot boxes, which are video game packages where the randomized content is hidden until opening them. The current study broadens this horizon by mapping the relationships between various gambling-like elements within the video gaming ecosystem, and monetary gambling. Applying the Theory of Reasoned Action, the study considered attitude, perceived normative pressure, and intention alongside monetary gambling behavior. In winter 2021 and early 2022, 1472 Flemish adolescents (mean age = 14.02, 47.5% female) took part in a survey on simulated and monetary gambling. Respondents had participated in simulated (75.3%) and monetary gambling (60.4%) in the past year. Bivariate correlations revealed that gambling-like activities were positively correlated (p < .001) with monetary gambling. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that watching gambling streams, spinning prize wheels, and spending money in social casino games predict monetary gambling (p < .001). Adding loot boxes and other gambling-like elements explained extra variance on top of gender and age (p < .001). Structural equation modelling suggested a pathway model from simulated gambling to monetary gambling attitude, normative pressure, intention, and behavior. This study underscores the importance of considering diverse gambling- like elements in research on the relationship between simulated and monetary gambling, next to the applicability of the Theory of Reasoned Action.
Gamblification refers to the gambling industry's aspirations to normalize gambling through hybrids of gambling and non-gambling contexts, most commonly sports. While research has widely shown that betting, sponsorships, and marketing gimmicks contribute to the normalization of gambling, we lack knowledge on how sports news production and journalistic storytelling pursue the same objective. This study provides insight into the ways in which Veikkaus, the Finnish state-owned gambling monopoly, utilizes sports news and stories in its social media communication. We sampled Veikkaus's sports-related social media posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube in 2018-2020 and analysed the ways in which the content is framed to serve the Finnish public through an alignment between Veikkaus and the world of sports. Our study shows that the company takes on three communicative roles in order to claim, acquire, and justify its relevance: a news agency, a producer of high-quality journalistic storytelling, and an engager of people. In these roles, Veikkaus is pursuing the function of sports media, while simultaneously being Finland's only legal gambling provider. This societal dual role needs to be problematized, not least because it relies on the revenues of citizens' gambling.
Despite predictions that gambling prevalence would decrease over time, recent reports suggest an increasing trend that is an emerging but neglected public health problem. This study analyzed public concern regarding gambling as a health topic using aggregated Google searches. Using an infodemiological design, a search query using the keyword "Gambling (Topic)" was done in Google Trends. The region, category filters were set to "Worldwide" and "Health," with the timeframe as January 2004 to December 2021. The relative search volumes (RSV), monthly growth rate, related queries, and topics were compared and analyzed. Autoregressive integrated mean averaging (ARIMA) was also used to address seasonality, autocorrelations, and predict the RSVs in the following years, and correlation analyses determined relationships between RSVs for gambling in health and leisure categories. Results showed that after an initial decrease, there was a generally increasing trend in searches of gambling as a health topic, with a monthly growth rate of 1.36%. The RSVs for both categories are predicted to increase, with positive correlations that may be stronger in the future. Top and rising queries and topics revolved around gambling disorder-related concepts, treatment, venues, diagnosis, and online gambling, indicating an emerging public concern for the health consequences of gambling. Gambling-related online health information should therefore be updated and accurate, particularly with regard to treatment, diagnosis, and consequences.
The personal and social benefits and harms of gambling, which has been more accessible, diversified, and widespread thanks to global internet use, sometimes find their place in country agendas. Due to its characteristics, the gambling sector requires effective management through public policies. In this direction, governments determine sectoral policies in two ways: by choosing to ban gambling activities completely or by regulating the sector by legalizing certain types. In this context, taxes stand out as one of the policy tools adopted by many countries. This research aimed to evaluate the success of taxes-as a public policy tool-in controlling the social and economic effects of the gambling industry. Through a systematic review, the role and success of taxation against the social and economic influences of gambling have been evaluated in light of literature research and application examples. The present study revealed that taxes, as a policy tool, are insufficient and may lead to undesirable results in combating gambling, which has limited -positive contributions to the country's economies but harms society by creating severe addictions and other irreversible social costs.
