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Gambling motivation and involvement: A review of social

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Cultural approaches<br />

in 1952, tWO amERican anthropologists compiled a list <strong>of</strong> 164 different uses <strong>of</strong> the<br />

concept “culture” [242]. Today, that list could be made even longer since new ideas<br />

about culture have emerged, most notably in cognitive anthropology. A basic definition<br />

is that culture is <strong>social</strong>ly transmitted knowledge that has accumulated over time<br />

<strong>and</strong> enables complex <strong>social</strong> coordination <strong>and</strong> highly varied <strong>social</strong> systems [243].<br />

Culture is what confers shared meaning to objects, events <strong>and</strong> relations. Taking a<br />

cultural approach to gambling thus concerns the collective meanings, values <strong>and</strong><br />

moralities that relate to gambling.<br />

Play <strong>and</strong> gambling<br />

The anthropological <strong>and</strong> ethnological literature on play is extensive [244]. The subject<br />

<strong>of</strong> play is covered also by pedagogy <strong>and</strong>, with regard to animals, by ethology. A<br />

basic assumption <strong>of</strong> the studies is that play has valuable functions for the individual<br />

or the group. Play stimulates the intellectual or physical development <strong>of</strong> human<br />

beings, aids the learning <strong>of</strong> <strong>social</strong> <strong>and</strong> cultural skills, strengthens group cohesion,<br />

gives excitement <strong>and</strong> entertainment, <strong>and</strong> therefore promotes health <strong>and</strong> well-being.<br />

These general functions will not be discussed here, the focus being on how gambling<br />

is viewed from a play perspective.<br />

Undoubtedly, the most well-known treatise on play is Homo Ludens: A Study <strong>of</strong><br />

the Play Element in Culture [245] by the Dutch historian Johan Huizinga. The fame<br />

<strong>of</strong> Huizinga’s treatise stems from its radical message: play is at the very foundation<br />

<strong>of</strong> culture <strong>and</strong> society, “civilization arises <strong>and</strong> unfolds in <strong>and</strong> as play” (p. i). Play<br />

is thus viewed in a very positive light <strong>and</strong> Huizinga explores it across the various<br />

phases <strong>of</strong> historical evolution <strong>and</strong> dimensions <strong>of</strong> society. Play is claimed to provide<br />

the creativity, energy <strong>and</strong> spiritual mood necessary for the development <strong>of</strong> culture<br />

<strong>and</strong> society. Naturally enough, a one-track approach such as this to the rise <strong>and</strong><br />

progression <strong>of</strong> human civilization appears rather strained to the balanced reader.<br />

The book should preferably be taken not as an account <strong>of</strong> the origins <strong>of</strong> civilization,<br />

but as a source <strong>of</strong> inspiration as to the importance <strong>of</strong> play <strong>and</strong> imagination in<br />

human life.<br />

As to gambling, Homo Ludens says very little. It is, in passing, claimed that<br />

gambling games are “unproductive” for the development <strong>of</strong> culture <strong>and</strong> that they<br />

are “sterile, adding nothing to life <strong>and</strong> the mind” (p. 48). Huizinga states that in<br />

play there is no material interest (p. 13) <strong>and</strong> laments the existence <strong>of</strong> “false play” (p.<br />

205), which presumably indicates a conception <strong>of</strong> gambling as not being genuine<br />

play [246].<br />

44 G A M B L I N G M O T I VAT I O N A N D I N V O LV E M E N T

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