| dc.description.abstract | This study examines the issue of public gambling behavior from the perspective of six
self-identified gamblers. All six participants were assessed to ensure that evidence of
pathological gambling was present. In depth interviews were conducted with each respondent
and the data was compiled and compared. The sample size is small due to the qualitative nature
of this research and as such, the results are exploratory and preliminary. Findings from this study
suggest that treatment approaches that focus on individual behavioral changes of the problem
gambler may have limited effectiveness. The nature and etiology of problem gambling appears to
be embedded and sustained in the extended family friend network. A substantial finding within
this qualitative study is that family pressure, family participation, family encouragement and
family introduction to gambling has an impact on whether or not a gambler develops and
maintains a gambling problem. Hence, this study supports other research findings for a
biopsychosocial approach to gambling behavior. Furthermore, findings indicate that these
problem gamblers see no need to seek treatment which confirms the need to look at the
biopsychosocial approach within an environmental context where decisions are made about the
type, extensiveness and accessibility that society has to gambling opportunities. Government
support for gambling as a significant revenue generator in this neoconservative era where the tax
base is dwindling due to a complexity of factors such as aging population, technology replacing
labour, and the decoupling of taxable capital assets from profits may prove to have many
unintended consequences. | |
