Gambling, as it is well known, can be an impactful activity affecting one’s social, economic, and health status. A large body of research has delved into understanding the effects and potential risk factors of gambling, and the results are surprising. The findings suggest that gambling has become a social problem. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that gambling is a generational activity that has existed for decades. Therefore, understanding the evolution and advancements associated with gambling can help track its societal effects and the possible intervention the addicted gamblers.
The video “The physiological effect of Gambling” by Dr. Drew was posted on YouTube in 2019. Drew provides an overview of how gambling can alter a person’s physiological activities based on winning or losing. Dr. Drew introduces how one’s habits can grow into dangerous zones, which he calls “bad habits .”He points out that gambling is one of the habits that are addictive and may cause severe issues in one’s life. The video tries to answer the question, “How does gambling affect physiological functions?” To answer the question, Dr. Drew visits a laboratory in which gambling survivors, addicted, and other gamblers are studied to determine the possible causes of addiction and suggest appropriate interventions. The study revealed that gambling increases heart rate from 76.5 to 80.5 beats per minute, skin temperature rises from 87 to 89 degrees, and respiratory rate rises from 6.5 to 19 breaths per minute. The varying responses are attributed to several factors, such as those playing for escape and those who play to obtain euphoria. In both cases, repetitive gambling plunges an individual into addiction by altering the physiological functions. To help gambling addicts, the researchers propose using credit cards to limit the amount gamblers can put into gambling. This is to help them avoid problem gambling affecting their relationships and personal lives. Therefore, Dr. Drew suggests seeking professional help when an individual is addicted to gambling.
To understand gambling from a cultural and historical approach, Tse et al. (2010) reviewed the literature to highlight the emerging trends concerning Chinese people and gambling addiction in the past 15 years. The researchers also aimed to provide a discourse on the probable link between gambling and Chinese history as well as gambling. The researchers utilized various studies, reports, and traditional Chinese literature to report the phenomenon of gambling among Chinese people. Furthermore, the researchers compared the proliferation and advances in gambling between the Chinese and Roman empires to provide a clear picture of how gambling has become more prevalent among Chinese people than among other races. The researchers address several key points, including the increased prevalence of problem gambling among Chinese people. This is seen in China as a country and in other countries where the Chinese are a minority. Also, the researchers addressed the expansion and proliferation of gambling in the pan-pacific region between 1995 and 2010. They noted that gambling became the sole recreational as well as source of income in many pan-pacific countries. Additionally, the researchers demonstrated how rulers influenced gambling activities in Chinese and Roman history. The researchers provided that although gambling was restricted in China and Rome, rulers and emperors legalized some forms of gambling, and even some were performed in the emperors’ residences. Other factors that led to the legalization of gambling, especially in China, was that the country was facing wars and needed to fund war and also pay for the repatriations. Equally, Roman emperors legalized some form of gambling for benefits similar to China. However, several factors led to the increased proliferation and prevalence of gambling in China compared to Rome, which the researchers referred to as divergence. For instance, Chinese beliefs, culture, and reasons for escape created a drift between China and Rome. On the other hand, Rome was greatly influenced by Christian values, which illegalized gambling. The researchers advanced to the current gambling practices across China, enveloping how numerous forms of gambling have erupted, leading to an increased rate of gamblers. However, this can be seen in other countries, but the researchers wanted to provide insights into how it started and reached where it is now. Clearly, the reaches drive the point home by demonstrating how Chinese culture, history, and social factors have played a role in the increased prevalence of gambling.
The article “A qualitative investigation of problem gambling as an escape‐based coping strategy” by Wood and Griffiths was published in 2007. The researchers wanted to determine the role played by gambling in the lives of problem gamblers and the extent to which it may be used as a means of copying. The researchers hold that although gambling has been a villain, gamblers may often use it as a coping mechanism, and finding the extent to which gamblers use it as a coping mechanism can play a significant role in formulating appropriate intervention, treatment, and management strategies. Therefore, the researchers utilize Jacob’s General theory of addiction to explain how gambling causes addiction. The General Theory of Addiction purports that addictive behavior patterns occur when individuals use a substance or activity to alter their arousal levels to escape from the reality of their existence. The researchers successfully draw the alignment between gambling addiction and the General Theory of Addition by determining why people gamble. The researchers used 50 problem gamblers from the UK and Australia to carry out the research. Participants were interviewed using open-ended questionnaires and direct questions to allow alteration and encourage participants to exhaust their feelings. After the selective coding process, the core categories included gambling to escape, whereby individuals gambled to prevent their problems. Also, gambling was undertaken to modify moods, which involved dissociating from reality. Another reason for gambling, as cited by many respondents, was filling the void. Most participants gambled to fill the gap in their life by alleviating boredom or providing a means of socialization. Furthermore, other findings showed that people gambled to avoid problems and responsibilities. Most participants reported that they would gamble mainly when experiencing problems, conflicts, or stress. Others reported gambling to control beliefs, cognitive regret, and chasing. The researchers then utilized the grounded theory of problem gambling to explain the role of an escape. The study’s strengths include using a detailed conceptual account of the problem gambling experience from the participants’ perspective, using open-ended questions, and using theories to validate their argument. However, as a limitation, the methodology presents chances of recall error and uses few participants. Also, the participants knew they had problems gambling, which may lead to false information.
Chapter 11 of the book “THE SOCIOLOGY OF GAMBLING” by Aasved, published in 2003, explores problem gambling correlates and risk factors. The author is determined to address the possible risk factors and triggers associated with problem gambling using literature and various surveys in the United States and the United Kingdom. The primary factors explored include psychosocial, behavioral, demographic, environmental, and personality. For instance, it is said that the prevalence of gambling is higher in males compared to females, among young people compared to older, among singles compared to married, among divorced and widowed, and among Catholics and Jews than among Protestants. Additionally, the findings demonstrated that the prevalence of problem gambling is higher among Hispanic, Native American, Black, and mixed-race students than among Asian and Caucasian students. There is also the issue of availability and exposure to gambling. According to the author, children exposed to gambling activities begin participating and may continue to adulthood as problem gamblers. Also, the availability of numerous forms of gambling predisposes individuals to problem gambling. This is determined by social class and religion, where children from high-income families have preferences contrasting those from low-income families. Also, it dictates the frequency one participates in gambling activities. Among the most participating gambling activities include sports betting, betting shop patronage, gaming, slot machines, and Bingo. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that the findings demonstrate variabilities even among individual games. Some correlates associated with pathological gambling include initiation by parents, illiteracy, employment, and type of gambling activity. For the Active Slot machine, correlates identified included being male, young, having a low level of education, employment, marital status, low income, and stress. The same findings were observed in gambling among Juveniles in North America and gambling-related suicide in Australia.
In Chapter 9, “Special Populations: Youthful Gamblers,” Aasved explores the prevalence of gambling among children and adolescents, citing possible correlates. The author acknowledges that few studies have examined gambling among special populations such as women, homosexuals, the homeless, institutionalized groups, and military personnel. Aasved points out that a literature review done among children in Canada, the United Kingdom, India, and the United States showed that almost half (49.3%) to about all (91%) of children reported having participated in gambling for money. A subsequent survey revealed that 64% of high school students had participated in gambling. The researcher adds that the trend has risen and is expected to go even higher. This is because a survey in the United Kingdom and Australia showed that gambling is a popular pastime among adolescents revealing that 75% of adolescents and young adults aged between 14 and 25 were active gamblers. Aasved adds that this increased prevalence is attributed to early exposure and has contributed to the rising problem gambling rates.
In summary, gambling has a significant social impact but requires a specific approach to understand its complexity. For instance, Dr. Drew investigated how gambling impacts physiological functions to understand how to formulate appropriate interventions at an individual level. He demonstrated that since addiction originates from a physiological function, it arose due to changes introduced by gambling. However, he fails to include gender differences, age, and other social, demographic, and cultural factors. Thus his findings may not be used to represent the overall population. On the other hand, Tse et al. (2010)’s approach provide a clear understanding that participation in gambling can be associated with many factors, including culture and beliefs, as seen among Chinese people.
In contrast, Wood and Griffiths’s (2007) study stood out for me since their approach is entirely different from other studies. They investigated why the prevalence of gambling has kept rising over the decades. It was essential to understand the drive and motive prompting people to gamble. From the study, it is clear that it is more than just gambling for money, as most participants expressed the need to escape, cope, and modify their moods and stress. This study can be used to address the contemporary issues related to gambling because of the changes in the social and economic worlds. Aasved findings in chapters 9 and 11 may be helpful for researchers to find gaps but may not reflect the current real-life situations. This is because twenty years have passed, and life has changed since the study was conducted. Overall, there is no significant contradiction among all the readings. I agree with Tse et al.’s (2010) suggestion that any intervention toward problem gambling should include cultural and social considerations as they complement the physiological approach by Dr. Drew. Ultimately, gambling is a complex and multifaceted issue requiring multifactorial interventions.
References
Dr. Drew. (2019). The physiological effect of gambling. YouTube. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09c3QWb6pEE.
Tse, S., Yu, A. C., Rossen, F., & Wang, C. W. (2010). Examination of Chinese gambling problems through a socio-historical-cultural perspective. TheScientificWorldJOURNAL, 10, 1694-1704. https://doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2010.167
Wood, R. T., & Griffiths, M. D. (2007). A qualitative investigation of problem gambling as an escape‐based coping strategy. Psychology and Psychotherapy: theory, research and Practice, 80(1), 107-125. https://doi.org/10.1348/147608306X107881
Aasved, M. (2003). THE SOCIOLOGY OF GAMBLING: Volume II (Vol. 2). Charles C Thomas Publisher.
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