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