Abstract
The aim of the article is to contribute to an understanding of the attitudes of post-communist Europe’s inhabitants towards gambling, and of their opinions concerning which activities can be regarded as gambling. The Attitudes Towards Gambling Scale (ATGS-8) questionnaire was used in the survey, ensuring the international comparability of the results. For the subsequent in-depth analysis of attitudes we mainly used multidimensional statistical methods. The survey, conducted in 2017, had 1092 respondents. The least negative attitudes to gambling were found in the younger age groups, while the attitudes of senior citizens were the most negative. Concerning participation in gambling, 68.4% of the respondents had taken part in at least one of the range of gambling activities offered as choices. Participation in gambling is an important factor influencing the overall attitude of the respondents to gambling. Of equal importance was the range of intensity in their perceptions of which games can be considered to be gambling, with four similarly perceived types of gambling identified. The research shows that gambling is perceived negatively by the population of the Czech Republic. The explanation may be found in the substantial media coverage of gambling related to changes in the legislation and the tightening of restrictions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Source Questionnaire survey; authors’ own processing
Source Questionnaire survey; authors’ own processing
Source Questionnaire survey; authors’ own processing
Source Questionnaire survey; authors’ own processing
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams, P. J. (2008). Gambling, freedom and democracy (Vol. 53, Studies in Social and Political Thought). New York: Routledge.
Adebayo, B. (1998). Gambling behavior of students in grades seven and eight in Alberta, Canada. Journal of School Health, 68(1), 7–11.
Bakken, I. J., Gotestam, K. G., Grawe, R. W., Wenzel, H. G., & Oren, A. (2009). Gambling behavior and gambling problems in Norway 2007. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 50(4), 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9450.2009.00713.x.
Binde, P. (2011). What are the most harmful forms of gambling? Analyzing problem gambling prevalence surveys.
Castrén, S., Perhoniemi, R., Kontto, J., Alho, H., & Salonen, A. H. (2018). Association between gambling harms and game types: Finnish population study. International Gambling Studies, 18(1), 124–142. https://doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2017.1388830.
Chiu, J., & Storm, L. (2010). Personality, perceived luck and gambling attitudes as predictors of gambling involvement. Journal of Gambling Studies, 26(2), 205–227. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-009-9160-x.
Clarke, D., & Rossen, F. (2000). Adolescent gambling and problem gambling: A New Zealand study. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 29(1), 10–16.
Cousins, S. O., & Witcher, C. S. (2007). Who plays bingo in later life? The sedentary lifestyles of ‘little old ladies’. Journal of Gambling Studies, 23(1), 95–112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-006-9030-8.
Duncan, B. (2002). Pumpkin pies and public goods: The raffle fundraising strategy. Public Choice, 111(1), 49–71. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1015133126932.
Elsasser, G. N., Kavan, M. G., Westerman, G. H., Destache, C. J., Sexson, E., & Turner, P. D. (2010). A survey of pharmacy students’ experiences with gambling. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 74(2), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.5688/aj740226.
Fiedor, D., Szczyrba, Z., Šerý, M., Smolová, I., & Toušek, V. (2017). The spatial distribution of gambling and its economic benefits to municipalities in the Czech Republic. Moravian Geographical Reports, 25(2), 104–117. https://doi.org/10.1515/mgr-2017-0010.
GTA (2016). The world count of gaming machines 2015. http://gamingta.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/World_Count_of_Gaming_Machines_2015.pdf. Accessed February 5 2018.
Hanss, D., Mentzoni, R. A., Delfabbro, P., Myrseth, H., & Pallesen, S. (2014). Attitudes toward gambling among adolescents. International Gambling Studies, 14(3), 505–519. https://doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2014.969754.
Harrill, R., Uysal, M., Cardon, P. W., Vong, F., & Dioko, L. (2011). Resident attitudes towards gaming and tourism development in Macao: Growth machine theory as a context for identifying supporters and opponents. International Journal of Tourism Research, 13(1), 41–53. https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.798.
Jonáš, F., & Švec, K. (1998). Sazka. Historie a současnost [Sazka. History and present]. In B. Bernard (Ed.), Lotteries in Europe: Five centuries of history (pp. 213–255). Prague: Olympia.
Kingma, S. F. (2008). The liberalization and (re)regulation of Dutch gambling markets: National consequences of the changing European context. Regulation and Governance, 2(4), 445–458. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-5991.2008.00045.x.
Konkolÿ Thege, B., & Hodgins, D. C. (2014). The ‘light drugs’ of gambling? Non-problematic gambling activities of pathological gamblers. International Gambling Studies, 14(1), 29–38. https://doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2013.839732.
Lange, M. A. (2001). Brief communication: “If you do not gamble, check this box”: Perceptions of gambling behaviors. Journal of Gambling Studies, 17(3), 247–254. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1012220406580.
Marshall, D. C. (2005). The gambling environment and gambler behaviour: Evidence from Richmond-Tweed, Australia. International Gambling Studies, 5(1), 63–83.
McAllister, I. (2014). Public opinion towards gambling and gambling regulation in Australia. International Gambling Studies, 14(1), 146–160.
Miller, H. E., & Thomas, S. (2017). The “walk of shame”: A qualitative study of the influences of negative stereotyping of problem gambling on gambling attitudes and behaviours. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 15(6), 1284–1300. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-017-9749-8.
Mravčík, V., Rous, Z., Chomynová, P., Tion Leštinová, Z., Drbohlavová, B., & Kozák, J., et al. (2017). Výroční zpráva o hazardním hraní v České republice v roce 2016 [Annual Report on Gambling in the Czech Republic in the Year 2016]. In V. Mravčík (Ed.). Praha: Národní monitorovací centrum pro drogy a závislosti.
Orford, J., Griffiths, M., Wardle, H., Sproston, K., & Erens, B. (2009). Negative public attitudes towards gambling: findings from the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey using a new attitude scale. International Gambling Studies, 9(1), 39–54. https://doi.org/10.1080/14459790802652217.
Pallesen, S., Hanss, D., Molde, H., Griffiths, M. D., & Mentzoni, R. A. (2016). A longitudinal study of factors explaining attitude change towards gambling among adolescents. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 5(1), 59–67. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.5.2016.017.
Petry, N. M., & Mallya, S. (2004). Gambling participation and problems among employees at a university health center. Journal of Gambling Studies, 20(2), 155–170. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOGS.0000022307.09299.f5.
Raposo-Lima, C., Castro, L., Sousa, N., & Morgado, P. (2015). Scratch that!—Two case reports of scratch-card gambling disorder. Addictive Behaviors, 45, 30–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.01.018.
Roberson, D. N., Jr., & Pelclova, J. (2014). Social dancing and older adults: Playground for physical activity. Ageing International, 39(2), 124–143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-013-9184-5.
Rodrigues-Silva, N. (2017). Scratch cards in Portugal: A hidden threat. International Gambling Studies, 17(2), 332–334. https://doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2017.1317355.
Salonen, A. H., Castren, S., Raisamo, S., Orford, J., Alho, H., & Lahti, T. (2014). Attitudes towards gambling in Finland: A cross-sectional population study. Bmc Public Health, 14(982), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-982.
Smith, G. J., Schopflocher, D. P., el-Guebaly, N., Casey, D. M., Hodgins, D. C., Williams, R. J., et al. (2011). Community attitudes toward legalised gambling in Alberta. International Gambling Studies, 11(1), 57–79. https://doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2010.550306.
Statens Folkhälsoinstitut (2012). Spel om pengar och spelproblem i Sverige 2009/2010: Resultat från Swelogs ettårsuppföljning [Gambling and problem gambling in Sweden 2009/2010: results from Swelogs’ one-year follow-up]. http://www.fhi.se/PageFiles/15707/R2012-04-Spel-om-pengar-och-spelproblem-i-Sverige-2009-2010.pdf. Accessed 11 December 2012.
Szczyrba, Z., Mravčík, V., Fiedor, D., Černý, J., & Smolová, I. (2015). Gambling in the Czech Republic. Addiction, 110(7), 1076–1081. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.12884.
Toce-Gerstein, M., & Gerstein, D. R. (2007). Questionnaire design: The art of a stylized conversation. In D. Smith, D. Hodgins, & R. Williams (Eds.), Research and Measurement Issues in Gambling Studies (pp. 55–86). Burlington, MA: Academic.
Vong, F. (2009). Changes in residents’ gambling attitudes and perceived impacts at the fifth anniversary of Macao’s gaming deregulation. Journal of Travel Research, 47(3), 388–397.
Williams, R. J., Connolly, D., Wood, R. T., & Nowatzki, N. (2006). Gambling and problem gambling in a sample of university students. Journal of Gambling Issues, 16, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.4309/jgi.2006.16.19.
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to acknowledge the support received from the students’ grant project titled ‘ Regions and cities: analysis of development and transformation’ funded by the Palacký University Internal Grant Agency (IGA_PrF_2018_018). We would like to thank two anonymous referees for their thoughtful comments regarding this manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethical Approval
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fiedor, D., Král, O., Frajer, J. et al. What do Residents Consider to be Gambling and What are Their Attitudes Towards it? Evidence from the Czech Republic. J Gambl Stud 35, 1347–1360 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-018-9804-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-018-9804-9