Submission Title

What are the attitudes towards gambling among general population and foreigners living in the post-communist European country? Evidence from the Czech Republic

Session Title

Session 3-3-B: Global Case Studies

Presentation Type

Event

Location

Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

Start Date

30-5-2019 1:45 PM

End Date

30-5-2019 3:10 PM

Disciplines

Human Geography | Migration Studies | Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies

Abstract

Abstract: The aim of the presentation 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. 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. The results of the survey among the general population were further compared with foreigners living in the Czech Republic.

Implication statements: Citizens of post-communist countries experienced the coming of legal gambling as a more drastic shock than did those of Western countries. They were more overtly encouraged by the ideological environment to perceive it as a natural part of general liberal reform package. Nowadays they have more negative attitudes towards gambling.

Keywords

gambling, attitude, Central and Eastern Europe, questionnaire, foreigners

Author Bios

David Fiedor, Ph.D. is a senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Andragogy and Cultural Anthropology and Department of Geography at Palacký University in Olomouc, Czech Republic. His research is focused on gambling issues, mainly the spatial aspects, and he uses statistical methods to study this global phenomenon in the Czech Republic. This Central European country represents the perfect site to study gambling in the environment of post-communist regime.

Funding Sources

This study was funded by the Palacký University Internal Grant Agency "Gambling among foreigners in the Czech Republic" (FPVC2018/04). The funding body had no involvement in any aspect of the research.

Competing Interests

None.

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May 30th, 1:45 PM May 30th, 3:10 PM

What are the attitudes towards gambling among general population and foreigners living in the post-communist European country? Evidence from the Czech Republic

Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

Abstract: The aim of the presentation 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. 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. The results of the survey among the general population were further compared with foreigners living in the Czech Republic.

Implication statements: Citizens of post-communist countries experienced the coming of legal gambling as a more drastic shock than did those of Western countries. They were more overtly encouraged by the ideological environment to perceive it as a natural part of general liberal reform package. Nowadays they have more negative attitudes towards gambling.