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.
