Gambling motivation and involvement: A review of social

Studies of minority ethnic groups and specific age groups
There are a number of studies on gambling among minority ethnic groups [90,
325–340]. The perspectives of these studies are diverse, but they have in common
that they are occasioned by the assumption or fact that members of a minority ethnic
group gamble more than citizens in general and that this is a potential or real
problem.
The relatively high propensity to gamble among members of minority ethnic
groups is explained as a consequence of socio-economic and cultural factors. Among
the socio-economic factors discussed are social marginalization, low status, relative
poverty, unemployment, and little prospect of becoming affluent through work.
Such factors push members of minority ethnic groups towards the dream world of
gambling with its illusion of quick and easy money in abundance. It has also been
suggested that gambling may function as a way to assuage painful emotions that
stem from being an immigrant or refugee, such as alienation, rootlessness, traumatization
and, in the case of male heads of families, loss of family authority.
As to cultural factors, it has been proposed that immigrants and refugees from
countries where there is little gambling may lose their heads when suddenly confronted
with high availability of many forms of legal gambling. They bet big and
recklessly since they have little previous experience of gambling and unrealistic
beliefs about the chances of winning. Certain cultural traits may be highlighted as
explaining high involvement in gambling, such as a fatalistic outlook, an overestimation
of the importance of personal skill, belief in magic, and a propensity to take
high risks. Among some ethnic groups, casinos have become popular places for
entertainment and socializing with compatriots. This may be so because gambling
is a traditional social activity, as among the Chinese. It may also be due to distaste
for bars and other Western public places for socializing that are characterized by
courtship between lone men and women, consumption of alcohol and relatively
frequent violence, and often also which reflect class distinctions. The cosmopolitan,
egalitarian, safe and controlled casino appears a more suitable place for an evening
out, meeting old friends, and making new ones.
Cultural factors may deter a person with gambling problems from seeking help.
One such factor is a cultural perception of heavy gambling as a vice rather than an
addiction or social problem, which makes the problem gambler ashamed of the
habit and reluctant to talk about it. Other factors that have been suggested in the
literature are language problems and limited knowledge about help facilities.
The potential beneficial consequences of gambling are seldom discussed in the
studies of minority ethnic groups. This is a bit surprising, since members of such
groups themselves often point out that visiting gambling venues (i.e. casinos) is a
way of breaking social isolation in entertainment environments that are perceived
as safe, hospitable and non-discriminatory.
Shifting from the subject of ethnic groups to age groups, there is quite a substantial
literature on adolescent problem gambling [2, 341–343]. Most of this literature
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 53