Skip to main content
Log in

Desperate Housewives: An Analysis of the Characterisations of Female Gamblers Portrayed in Gambling Movies in Hong Kong

  • Published:
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article examines portrayals of female gamblers in recent Hong Kong movies. The authors report that the depiction of female gamblers is very different from that of male gamblers in the movies made in the same period. Whereas the male gamblers are pitching a lonely and desperate battle against an evil opponent, the female gamblers portrayed in the movies are housewives or small-time players who gamble only for their personal gain. A generally negative overtone in portrayals of female gamblers was interpreted as a reflection of the traditional view that discourages women from gambling. The shift of gambling themes in the Hong Kong movies has been identified to reflect the most salient concerns among Hong Kong residents. Such changes are attributed to particular social and cultural changes in the community.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Boughton, R. (2003). A feminist slant on counselling the female gambler: Key issues and tasks. eGambling: The Electronic Journal of Gambling Issues, 8. Retrieved 24 September 2008 from http://www.camh.net/egambling/issue8/clinic/boughton/index.html.

  • Burger, T. D., Dahlgren, D., & MacDonald, C. D. (2006). College students and gambling: An examination of gender differences in motivation for participation. College Student Journal, 40(3), 704–714.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chan, C. C., & Ohtsuka, K. (2007). Gambling Movies in Hong Kong: An Understanding of Gambling Culture in a psychological perspective. Paper presented in the 17th National Association for Gambling Studies, Cairns, Australia, 2007, November.

  • Chiu, Y. C. (2003). Is there a framing effect? The asset effect in decision-making under risk. Chinese Journal of Psychology, 45(2), 171–182.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, D., Abbott, M., Tse, S., Townsend, S., Kingi, P., & Manaia, W. (2006). Gender, age, ethnic and occupational associations with pathological gambling in a New Zealand urban sample. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 35(2), 84–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dement, J. W. (1999). Going for broke: The depiction of compulsive gambling in film. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grant, J. E., & Kim, S. W. (2002). Gender differences in pathological gamblers seeking medication treatment. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 43(1), 56–62. doi:10.1053/comp.2002.29857.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, C. R., Jenkins, M., & Glaser, D. (2006). Gender differences in risk assessment: why do women take fewer risks than men? Judgment and Decision Making, 1(1), 48–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hong, Y.-y., & Chiu, C.-y. (1988). Sex, locus of control, and illusion of control in Hong Kong as correlates of gambling involvement. Journal of Social Psychology, 128(5), 667–673.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kahneman, D. (2003). Maps of bounded rationality: psychology for behavioral economics. American Economic Review, 93, 1449–1475. doi:10.1257/000282803322655392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, S., & Ohtsuka, K. (2001). Youth gambling in Melbourne’s west: Changes between 1996 and 1998 for Anglo-European background and Asian background school-based youth. International Gambling Studies, 1(1), 87–101. doi:10.1080/144598000108732289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Movie Warrior Blockbuster (2008). Top 20 Hong Kong box office champ. Retrieved 12 June 2008 from http://newmedia.cityu.edu.hk/03mwrr/top20.htm.

  • Ohtsuka, K., Bruton, E., DeLuca, L., & Borg, V. (1997). Sex differences in pathological gambling using gaming machines. Psychological Reports, 80(3), 1051–1057.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ohtsuka, K., & Duong-Ohtsuka, T. (2000). Vietnamese Australian gamblers’ views on luck and winning: A preliminary report. In J. McMillen, & L. Laker (Eds.), Developing strategic alliances: Proceedings of the 9th National Association for Gambling Studies Conference, Gold Coast, Queensland 1999 (pp. 151–160). Kew, Victoria, Australia: National Association for Gambling Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ozorio, B., & Fong, D. K.-C. (2004). Chinese casino gambling behaviors: Risk taking in casinos vs. investments. UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal, 8(2), 27–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papineau, E. (2005). Pathological gambling in Montreal’s Chinese community: an anthropological perspective. Journal of Gambling Studies, 21(2), 157–178. doi:10.1007/s10899-005-3030-y.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Price, J. A. (1972). Gambling in traditional Asia. Anthropologica (N.S.), 14(2), 157–180.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schull, N. D. (2002). Escape mechanism: women, caretaking, and compulsive machine gambling. Working paper No. 41, Center for Working Families, University of California, Berkeley.

  • Scull, S., & Woolcock, G. (2005). Problem gambling in non-English speaking background communities in Queensland, Australia: a qualitative exploration. International Gambling Studies, 5(1), 29–44. doi:10.1080/14459790500097939.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tanasornnarong, N., Jackson, A. C., & Thomas, S. A. (2004). Gambling among young Thai people in Melbourne, Australia: an exploratory study. International Gambling Studies, 4(2), 189–203. doi:10.1080/14459790412331302381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang, C., Wu, A., & Tang, J. (2007). Gender differences in characteristics of Chinese treatment-seeking problem gamblers. Journal of Gambling Studies, 23(2), 145–156. doi:10.1007/s10899-006-9054-0.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, A., & Moore, S. (2003). The interactive effects of avoidance coping and dysphoric mood on problem gambling for female and male gamblers. eGambling: The Electronic Journal of Gambling Issues, 8. Retrieved 24 September 2008 from http://www.camh.net/egambling/issue8/research/thomas-moore/index.html.

  • Trevorrow, K., & Moore, S. (1998). The association between loneliness, social isolation and women’s electronic gaming machine gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, 14(3), 263–284. doi:10.1023/A:1022057609568.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner, N. E., Fritz, B., & Zangeneh, M. (2007). Images of gambling in film. Journal of Gambling Issues, 20, 117–144. Retrieved 15 May 2008 from http://www.camh.net/egambling/issue20/pdfs/02turner.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Keis Ohtsuka.

Additional information

An earlier version of this article was presented at the International Gambling Conference—Looking Forward: New Directions in Research and Minimising Public Harm, Auckland 2008—Manuscript publication

Appendices

Appendix

Movies reviewed

Heung, J. (Producer), Wong, J. (Director). (1989). God of Gamblers [Motion Picture]. Hong Kong: Win’s Movie Production and I/E Company.

Heung, J. (Producer), Wong J. (Director). (1990). God of Gamblers II. [Motion Picture]. Hong Kong: Win’s Movie Production and I/E Company.

Ng, S. Y. (Producer), Lau, J. & Yuen, C. (Directors). (1990). All for the Winner. [Motion Picture]. Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Mei Ah Entertainment Company.

Wong, J. (Producer), Wong, J., & Chung, S. H. (Directors). (2005). Kung Fu Mahjong. [Motion Picture]. Hong Kong: China Star Entertainment Company.

Kong, Y.Y. (Producer), Wong, J. (Director). (2005). Kung Fu Mahjong 2. [Motion Picture]. Hong Kong: Mega-Vision Production Ltd.

Wong, J. (Producer), Lam, B. (Director). (2007). Kung Fu Mahjong 3: Final Duel. [Motion Picture]. Hong Kong: Mega-Vision Production Ltd.

Kuk, L. (Producer), Ko C. (Director). (1987). It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World. [Motion Picture]. Hong Kong: D & B Films Co., Ltd.

Kuk, L. (Producer), Yu, R. (Director). (1988). It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World II. [Motion Picture]. Hong Kong: D & B Films Co., Ltd.

SHIN, G. Y. (Producer and Director). (1989). It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World III. [Motion Picture]. Hong Kong: D & B Films Co., Ltd.

Ko, C. (Producer), Sung, F. (Director) (1992). It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World Too. [Motion Picture]. Hong Kong: Regal Films Co., Ltd., and Mandarin Films Production Ltd.

Yuen, K. & Lau, J. (Producers), Yuen, K. & Lau, J. (Directors). (1991) The Top Bet. [Motion Picture]. Hong Kong: Bo Ho Films Co., Ltd.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ohtsuka, K., Chan, C.C. Desperate Housewives: An Analysis of the Characterisations of Female Gamblers Portrayed in Gambling Movies in Hong Kong. Int J Ment Health Addiction 7, 229–238 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-008-9180-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-008-9180-2

Keywords

Navigation