A pathway to gambling disorder among Jewish Ultra-Orthodox men in Israel

Session Title

Session 2-4-C: Subpopulation Research

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation

Location

Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV

Start Date

24-5-2023 3:30 PM

End Date

24-5-2023 5:00 PM

Disciplines

Sociology of Religion

Abstract

Introduction: The Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel forms a conservative cultural enclave. This study aimed to illustrate the choices made by ultra-orthodox individuals with GD and the unique pathway leading them to develop GD. Method: Relying on a constructivist grounded theory approach, 22 Ultra-Orthodox men with GD and 16 Rabbis were interviewed during 2021-2022, creating a sample driven by theoretical concerns. Results: An abductive analysis revealed dispositions to GD shaped by a structure of a closed community with limited available choices, a religious and socio-cultural classification of gambling as a gray area, and individual histories of men who feel deprived (e.g., due to dissatisfaction from their spouses). The Ultra-Orthodox men explained their justifications for choosing to gamble, depicting gambling as a means to receive a divine economic reward, their religious effort to obtain socio-cultural esteem, and a “white addiction” that can be easily concealed. Conclusions: This choice-making is explained by an interaction between the religious socio-cultural structure characterized by a narrow range of alternatives and the individual agents, contributing together to the development of GD.

Keywords

Gambling disorder, religion, choice-making, agency

Author Bios

Dr. Noa Vana is a medical anthropologist. She is currently doing her post-doc at the Bob-Shappell School of Social Science at Tel-Aviv University researching gambling addiction among Ultra-Orthodox men in Israel.

Yael Itzhaki-Braun, PhD, is a lecturer at the Bob Shapell School of Social Work at Tel Aviv University. Dr. Itzhaki-Braun's research fields are: community social work, community leadership, religious communities and societal conditional regard. Her studies investigate the role of the religious community in the members' life, focusing at violation of community norms such as: youth dropout and divorces. Moreover, Dr. Itzhaki-Braun investigates the developing new social leadership within virtual communities and the role of community social work in these communities.

Prof. Belle Gavriel-Fried is a senior faculty member at Tel Aviv University where she is the Head of the Addictions and Recovery lab at the Bob Shapell School of Social Work. She explores the socio-psychological factors leading to addiction and to recovery, by applying qualitative and quantitative research methods. She has been involved in many international projects and has supervised numerous research students.

Funding Sources

Mifal Hapais (Israeli National Lottery) Independent Academic Research Fund. This funding did not influence this study.

Competing Interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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May 24th, 3:30 PM May 24th, 5:00 PM

A pathway to gambling disorder among Jewish Ultra-Orthodox men in Israel

Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV

Introduction: The Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel forms a conservative cultural enclave. This study aimed to illustrate the choices made by ultra-orthodox individuals with GD and the unique pathway leading them to develop GD. Method: Relying on a constructivist grounded theory approach, 22 Ultra-Orthodox men with GD and 16 Rabbis were interviewed during 2021-2022, creating a sample driven by theoretical concerns. Results: An abductive analysis revealed dispositions to GD shaped by a structure of a closed community with limited available choices, a religious and socio-cultural classification of gambling as a gray area, and individual histories of men who feel deprived (e.g., due to dissatisfaction from their spouses). The Ultra-Orthodox men explained their justifications for choosing to gamble, depicting gambling as a means to receive a divine economic reward, their religious effort to obtain socio-cultural esteem, and a “white addiction” that can be easily concealed. Conclusions: This choice-making is explained by an interaction between the religious socio-cultural structure characterized by a narrow range of alternatives and the individual agents, contributing together to the development of GD.