NCJ Number
45616
Date Published
1974
Length
54 pages
Annotation
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE FINDS THAT LOWER INCOME PEOPLE VIEW GAMBLING AS A SOCIAL EVENT MORE THAN MIDDLE-CLASE PEOPLE, BUT THAT DATA IS SCARCE AND UNRELIABLE.
Abstract
THIS DISCUSSION OF GAMBLING RESEARCH IS BROKEN INTO THREE SECTIONS. THE FIRST DEALS WITH AVAILABLE DATA ON GAMBLING ATTITUDES. SPECIFICALLY LOTTERY ATTITUDES, AND ISSUES OF CONCERN TO THE PUBLIC. THE SECOND SECTION INVESTIGATES THE SOCIAL SETTINGS IN WHICH THE GAMBLER MOVES, SOME INSTITUTIONAL QUALITIES OF GAMBLING OPERATIONS, AND SOCIETY'S RESPONSE TO GAMBLING. THE THIRD SECTION EXAMINES WHAT SCANT DATA ARE AVAILABLE ON PARTICIPATION RATES FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF GAMBLING IN THE U.S. SOME FORM OF GAMBLING IS LEGAL IN ALMOST EVERY AREA OF THE U.S., BUT OPPOSITION TO LOTTERIES, HORSERACING, AND MORE ORGANIZED FORMS OF GAMBLING IS STRONGEST IN RURAL AREAS, AMONG FUNDAMENTALISTIC PROTESTANT GROUPS, AND AMONG POORER PEOPLE. BLACKS ARE MORE CONSISTENTLY OPPOSED TO GAMBLING THAN WHITES AND WOMEN MORE THAN MEN. HOWEVER, STATE-SPONSORED LOTTERIES ARE SPREADING, PRIMARILY BECAUSE MIDDLE AND UPPER CLASS URBAN DWELLERS SEE THIS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO HIGHER TAXES. AS POPULATION SPREADS WEST, SO DOES THIS MORE PERMISSIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD LOTTERIES. THE SLUM-BASED ORGANIZED GAMBLING BOSS OF THE 1930S AND 1940S IS BEING REPLACED BY A LOW-PROFILE 'GAMBLING BUSINESSMAN' AS GAMBLING CASINOS AND OTHER FORMS REQUIRE LARGER CAPITALIZATION AND GREATER BUREAUCRACY. THE MAJOR FORM OF SLUM GAMBLING LEFT IS 'NUMBERS.' CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS HAVE CALLED THE LARGE NUMBER OF GAMBLING ARRESTS IN SLUMS DISCRIMINATORY BECAUSE SIMILAR ARRESTS OF WHITE GAMBLING PARTICIPANTS ARE NOT MADE. SEVERAL STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THE BLACK NUMBERS OPERATORS ARE GENERALLY AMONG THE BRIGHTEST SLUM DWELLERS AND THOSE WITH THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL. AMONG LOWER-CLASS GAMBLERS, BETTING ON THE HORSES OR NUMBERS IS CONSIDERED AN ACCEPTABLE FORM OF 'ACTION TAKING.' THE BAR IS THE USUAL LOCATION AND THERE IS SOME INTERACTION, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE THERE IS A CHANCE TO WIPE OUT A BOOKIE. MIDDLE-CLASS GAMBLERS START LATER AND HAVE LESS SOCIAL INTERACTION. PROBLEM GAMBLERS ARE NOT PRONE TO SOCIAL INTERACTION, FOCUSING ALL THEIR COMPETITIVE FEELINGS ON THE GAMBLING ITSELF. STUDIES FROM SEVERALL COUNTRIES HAVE FOUND THAT LOWER-CLASS PERSONS BET MORE FREQUENTLY ON SPORTS POOLS AND OTHER FORMS OF LEGAL AND ILLEGAL GAMBLING. OTHER THAN FIGURES FOR STATE LOTTERIES, THERE IS VERY LITTLE INFORMATION ON ACTUAL GAMBLING PARTICIPATION RATES IN THE U.S. QUESTIONS ABOUT ILLEGAL GAMBLING ACTIVITIES HAVE A HIGH NONRESPONSE RATE AND WHAT RESPONSES ARE GIVEN ARE PROBABLY NOT RELIABLE. SUBJECTIVE STUDIES HAVE GIVEN THE MOST INSIGHT, BUT EVEN THESE HAVE FAILED TO COME UP WITH HARD FIGURES ON NUMBERS OF PERSONS GAMBLING, AMOUNTS WON OR LOST, EFFECTS ON FAMILIES, DAYS LOST FROM WORK, AND SUCH. THE PROBLEM OF DESIGNING A GAMBLING SURVEY IS A DIFFICULT ONE. HOWEVER, IT IS ONE THAT THE COMMISSION ON THE REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL POLICY TOWARD GAMBLING SHOULD UNDERTAKE. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. (GLR)