A social learning perspective of gambling behaviour among college students at Iowa State University,USA

This study assesses the proportion of college students who gamble and the level of their gambling involvement (i.e. frequency, scope, expenditure). In addition, a better understanding is sought of why students gamble and the factors that contribute to their gambling behaviour. The data were collected in the autumn of 1996 from 797 undergraduate students. The main outcome measures included the students' gambling status, scope, frequency and expenditure. The predictor variables were gender, age, employment status, grade point average and gambling expenditure of the mother, father and best friend of the respondents. Frequency and cross‐tabulation analyses were used to develop the respondents' demographic profile and to describe differences between characteristics of gamblers and non‐gamblers. Gamma‐statistics were used to test the strength of the relationship between predictors and outcome variables. Over half of the students gambled, and the two most frequently identified gambling activities were lottery and non‐casino cards. The majority indicated that they gambled for entertainment. On average, the students gambled three times and staked an average of 33 per month on their gambling. However, about 19% of them gambled 3–6 times and staked over 66 a month on gambling. Student gambling was found to be positively related to the gambling of their parents and the gambling of their best friend.     

The gambling preference and stock price: Evidence from China's stock market

Considering the strong gambling preference of retail investors in emerging markets and using the data of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2000 to 2018, this paper constructs an index of investor's gambling preference based on the theory of explicit preference and develops a factor model to capture the risk premium of gambling by introducing gambling factors. The results show that the factor model not only fits the gambling characteristics of the Chinese stock market well but also has strong explanatory power for common market anomalies. Through the index of capital gains over-hang (Wang et al., 2016), this paper further finds that facing different degrees of losses, investors will show different gambling preferences. The factor model also shows stronger explanatory power in the sample with more losses, revealing the investment characteristics of retail investors that the more you gamble and the more you lose. This study would be meaningful for exploring behavioral pricing factors, understanding emerging stock markets and supporting investment practice.     

An empirical analysis of individual level casino gambling behavior

Gambling and gaming is a very large industry in the United States with about one-third of all adults participating in it on a regular basis. Using novel and unique behavioral data from a panel of casino gamblers, this paper investigates three aspects of consumer behavior in this domain. The first is that consumers are addicted to gambling, the second that they act on “irrational” beliefs, and the third that they are influenced by marketing activity that attempts to influence their gambling behavior. We use the interrelated consumer decisions to play (gamble) and the amount bet in a casino setting to focus on addiction using the standard economic definition of addiction. We test for two irrational behaviors, the “gambler’s fallacy” and the “hot hand myth”—our research represents the first test for these behaviors using disaggregate data in a real (as opposed to a laboratory) setting. Finally, we look at the effect of marketing instruments on the both the decision to play and the amount bet. Using hierarchical Bayesian methods to pin down individual-level parameters, we find that about 8% of the consumers in our sample can be classified as addicted. We find support in our data for the gambler’s fallacy, but not for the hot hand myth. We find that marketing instruments positively affect gambling behavior, and that consumers who are more addicted are also affected by marketing to a greater extent. Specifically, the long-run marketing response is about twice as high for the more addicted consumers.     

The consumption of gambling in everyday life

This paper is concerned with the escalation of gambling in the UK and the consequences this has for the consumer. Reasons why people consume risk through the medium of gambling are provided with social factors, presented here, as important variables that have influenced this consumption. The National Lottery in the UK is highlighted as the most recent example that provides the context for this escalation in the consumption of gambling. The paper then presents research data obtained from reformed problem gamblers and describes the social ills associated with their compulsive gambling behaviour traits and their worries over the impact that gambling has on the individual and the community. The paper suggests that there will be an increase in the number of problem gamblers as a result of the increasing exposure of the consumer towards many forms of gambling.     

Ethical ideologies,perceived gambling value,and gambling commitment: An Asian perspective

This study evaluates the relationship between ethical ideology and gambling commitment, and the moderating effect of perceived gambling value. Through a field survey of patrons of a leading Asia's gambling establishment, 382 usable responses were received. Data were analyzed using factor analysis and hierarchical multiple regression. The results show that ethical ideologies and perceived gambling value predict a significant amount of variance in gambling commitment. Specifically, idealism has a negative relationship with number of years of gambling and amount gambled. Relativism associates positively with number of years of gambling and amount gambled. Customer value negatively moderates the relationship between idealism and the two dimensions of commitment, and positively moderates the relationship between relativism and the commitment dimensions. Furthermore, idealism has a negative effect on perceived gambling value, and relativism has a positive effect on perceived gambling value.     

Exploiting online social gambling for marketing communications

Internet technology provides a new approach to how gambling is conducted in postmodern times. Drawing on constructivist research and utilising a single case study strategy, this paper examines online social gambling and real money gambling marketing communication practices, as well as offering some insights into the development and implementation of effective marketing communication programmes. In contrast to existing studies, this paper, in part, proposes integrative and higher levels of marketing communication programmes between online social gambling and real money gambling environments. The paper reveals the implicit structure of meanings underlying the link between online social gambling activity and real money gambling practices.     

Socio‐demographic determinants of gambling participation and expenditures: evidence from Malaysia

This study examined the socio‐demographic determinants of participation and expenditure decisions on gambling among non‐Muslim households in Malaysia using data from the 2005–2006 Malaysian Household Expenditures Survey. Heckman's sample selection analysis was used to obtain consistent (unbiased) empirical estimates for the regression equation of gambling expenditures in the presence of censoring (observed zeros) in the dependent variable. Marginal effects were also calculated to further explore the effects of socio‐demographic variables on the probability and levels of gambling expenditures. The results indicated that non‐Muslim households in Malaysia who are more likely to participate and spend more in gambling include Chinese, affluent, male‐headed, younger and non‐white collar households. Specifically, households of Chinese descent have higher gambling probabilities and expenditures than Indians and those of other ethnic backgrounds. While education reduces and age increases the likelihood and expenditures of gambling among Chinese households, these effects are non‐extant for Indians and other ethnic groups. Higher income and male‐headed households were more likely to partake and have higher expenditures in gambling among all non‐Muslim ethnic groups. Finally, Chinese and Indian households headed by a white‐collar worker have lower gambling likelihoods and unconditional expenditures than their blue‐collar cohorts. Based on these results, several anti‐gambling policies were suggested to target those more likely to participate and spend more in gambling activities.     

Restricting gambling advertising and the third‐person effect

Along with the rapid growth experienced by the gaming industry in the United States has come increasing calls to restrict or ban gambling advertising. To date, little is known about what motivates people to support such restrictions on advertising. However, one recent theory, the third‐person effect, offers a possible explanation. The third‐person effect states that when confronted with negative messages, people will overestimate the messages' effect on others relative to themselves. Additionally, it suggests that it is this misperception that motivates them to take action against such messages. This study investigates whether a third‐person effect occurs for gambling advertising and if this effect is related to pro‐censorship attitudes for lotteries and casinos. The results suggest there is a sizable gap between perceptions of the effect of gambling advertising on one's self versus others, and that the perceived effect on others is related to a willingness to restrict such advertising. © 2000 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.     

Feeling red lucky? The interplay between color and luck in gambling settings

This paper investigates the effect of the color red on gambling behavior, as influenced by feeling lucky and cultural background. Four experiments examine how risk‐taking choices and gambling behaviors are affected. Study 1A and 1B establish the red risk‐aversion effect in gambling decision making and responses to a gambling app advert. Studies 2 and 3 test the moderating effect of feeling lucky and cultural background, respectively. The authors provide empirical evidence to the effect of red color on risk aversion. In general, people make more risk averse choices, gambling less and less often when primed with the color red over other colors. Boundary conditions are identified in feeling lucky and cultural backgrounds, such that when participants feel lucky or are from Asian Chinese backgrounds the effect is reversed and they take more risks when primed with the color red. This study highlights the importance of color in managing the interaction between consumers and gambling contexts.     

A hierarchical model approach for identifying the trait antecedents of general gambling propensity and of four gambling-related genres

In two studies, we employed a hierarchical model of personality to examine the trait antecedents of gambling. The results revealed that a set of more abstract traits were predictive of a general gambling propensity, including materialism, body resource needs (negative), competitiveness, impulsiveness, sports fanmanship, superstition, and financial conservatism (negative). In Study 2, we controlled for the general gambling propensity and investigated the trait predictors of four gambling-related genres: online, lottery, sports gambling, and marketing sweepstakes/contests. We found that general gambling propensity predicted each genre. In addition, divergent patterns of more basic traits were predictive of the different gambling forms.     

Golden‐age gambling: Psychological benefits and self‐concept dynamics in aging consumers' consumption experiences

Phenomenological investigation of casino gambling among older consumers yields the identification of the psychological benefits of this consumption experience for this population. Control, Lift, and Escape emerge as central themes as older consumers' gambling experiences unfold, and the elements and psychological outcomes of each of these themes are discussed. Through interpretive analysis, a conceptual framework is developed in which these factors serve an intermediary role between the more shallow hedonic responses of “fantasies, feelings, and fun” (Holbrook & Hirschman, 1982) and deeper aspects of the self. It is proposed that the psychological benefits of gambling and other forms of experiential consumption may ultimately reinforce and enhance seniors' self‐concepts. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Retail location preferences: A comparative analysis

There is widespread criticism that gambling retailers are concentrated in deprived communities and that the concentration is deliberately targeted. However, this study opines that before deliberate targeting can be supported, a comparative analysis of gambling locations with a more conventional retail group is necessary. Hence this study examined the location preferences of gambling and food and grocery retailers (FGRs) to evaluate the notion of deliberate concentration of gambling retailers in deprived communities. Comparative analyses assessed relationships between FGRs floorspaces and overall gambling locations compared to socio-economic deprivation. Results showed similarities and disparities in retail locations, but gambling provisioning were more concentrated in deprived areas compared to food provisioning. Implications for policy and practice are presented.     

An investigation into gambling purchases using the NBD and NBD–Dirichlet models

Past research on gambling behavior has focused largely on cognitive and affective explanations, but has not explored the influence of past gambling behavior or habit. In this study, it was hypothesized that gambling behavior followed predictable patterns based on past behavior. We found that these patterns could be described by the negative binomial distribution (NBD) and NBD–Dirichlet models at game and category levels, respectively. An empirical study using the 1999 Australia Productivity Commission survey dataset provided some support for the usefulness of these models in describing gambling consumption. The paper explores the implications for identifying problem gambling and influencing gamblers’ behavior.     

Consumer responses to the depth and minimum claimed savings of “Scratch and Save (SAS)” promotions

This study examines consumers' responses to advertisements employing “Scratch and Save” (SAS) type promotions, which are emerging store‐level promotional tools. Due to SAS promotions' “gambling” characteristics, they offer the possibility of high savings levels, however, they also confront the consumer with uncertainty about the value of the discount at the point of purchase. Particular attention is paid to the depth of the claimed savings, and its effect on regular price believability and consumers' expected savings, as well as perceived value and shopping intentions. The depth of the advertised SAS promotions was observed to not affect consumer believability of the regular price in SAS advertisements. In addition, the disjunction effect is made applicable through showing that the minimum claimed saving information enhances the level of savings expectation. The results also report the positive impact of expected savings on offer value and, in turn, shopping intentions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Changing the Odds: A Study of Corporate Social Principles and Practices in Addressing Problem Gambling

This paper documents a quantitative study into socially responsible principles and practices adopted in registered clubs in New South Wales Australia to manage one of their social impacts – problem gambling. The survey utilised an adapted version of Aupperle's (1982) corporate social responsibility instrument to measure the priority given to economic, legal, ethical and discretionary principles in club machine gambling operations. The survey also assessed support for certain management practices in responsible gambling. The results indicate that the participating club managers prioritise economic, legal, ethical and discretionary principles respectively, and that these are statistically related to practices they have implemented and support in responsible gambling. The managers most favoured secondary harm minimisation practices, followed by reactive primary intervention. Less favoured were proactive primary intervention and discretionary practices. These principles and practices contrast markedly with those advocated by key stakeholder groups, as expressed in semi-structured interviews and submissions to the NSW Gaming Inquiry. Non-industry stakeholders favoured a more balanced set of principles and a more holistic set of management practices in responsible gambling. The results also provide validation of Aupperle's (1982) instrument when applied to corporate management of a single social impact and for Carroll's (1979, 1991) construct of corporate social responsibility.     

Family Firm Heterogeneity and Tax Aggressiveness: A Mixed Gamble Approach

Few studies try to understand how the unique preferences of family firms affect tax strategies, and how family firm heterogeneity drives variation in tax activities. Drawing on the mixed gamble approach, this study examines the tax aggressiveness of different types of family firms, considering how various sources of heterogeneity alter the perception of potential gains and losses to socioemotional and financial wealth. Based on a panel dataset of 242 private family firms for the period 2012–2014, this study shows that strong family-owned firms, family firms with a family CFO, family-founder firms, and family-named firms display lower levels of tax aggressiveness. These findings demonstrate that family firm heterogeneity is a crucial factor in the mixed gamble calculus of tax aggressiveness.     

Assessing the impact of a retailer's relationship efforts on consumers’ attitudes and behavior

This study focuses at the impact of different relationship efforts made by a retailer (direct mail, preferential treatment, and tangible rewards) on key relationship marketing outcomes (trust, relationship commitment, and behavioral loyalty). A cross-sectional study in a retail clothing setting was conducted based on two consumer samples drawn from Belgium and the Netherlands. SEM results indicate that retailers undertaking relationship efforts to loyal consumers can positively affect these consumers’ attitudes and behavior. Consequently, managers and employees of retail companies need to be trained, motivated, and rewarded for making relationship efforts to regular customers.     

电子商务中精神产品开发的伦理初探

目前,电子商务正迅猛发展。网络的精神产品以直接或间接的形式产生着巨大的经济效益和社会效益,但与此同时网络中电子商务活动中出现的色情类、暴力类、嗜赌类型产品对人的身心发展和健康类造成了一定的危害。因此必须弄清如今网络精神产品的开发中的伦理道德失范原因,并制定相应防范措施。     

Mecca and the birth of commercial bingo 1958–70: A case study

The game of bingo has become synonymous with women of a certain age and class and has been stigmatised as a dead-end use of leisure. However, the development of commercial bingo in the wake of the Betting and Gaming Act (1961) offered the leisure industry access to a new and lucrative market. While many major players in the leisure industry of the early 1960s adopted commercial bingo as an adjunct to their offerings the Mecca dancing group adopted a strategy that made bingo so particularly their own that the brand rapidly became known as the bingo and dancing group with Eric Morley of Mecca referred to in the popular press as ‘Mr Bingo’. This paper provides a case study of the Mecca group as it moved into commercial gambling, rapidly increased its size and profitability, saw off competition in commercial gambling from larger companies and finally succumbed to a lucrative takeover in 1970.