The Sociology of Gambling

This volume focuses on the contributions of specialists in the social sciences. It reviews the efforts and ideas of sociologists, economists, anthropologists, and social psychologists who have employed a variety of methods to further our understanding of why people gamble. Early "armchair" theorists relied more on conjecture than observation to arrive at highly speculative conclusions. Others, unable to divorce themselves from prevailing ideologies, forced their findings into whichever theoretical mold happened to be currently in vogue. To obtain more empirical data with which to test these theories, later investigators interacted directly with active gamblers by becoming participant observers in actual gambling venues. Those who preferred a qualitative approach observed and interviewed smaller numbers of current and former gamblers. Some were already committed gamblers themselves; others became card dealers, roulette croupiers, and other paid employees of commercial gambling establishments. Those who preferred a quantitative approach analyzed statistical data from questionnaire surveys of larger groups and special populations. Their aim was not only to determine the gambling habits and preferences of different sub-groups, but also to identify the demographic, environmental, and behavioral risk factors that are most likely to predict recreational and problem gambling. Owing to their methodological differences, some of the studies reviewed in this volume reflect the gambler's point of view while others represent that of the investigator. Despite their differences in orientation, most social scientists are convinced that gambling is a consequence of the particular social or subcultural environment in which the gambler lives.