The Value of Gambling and its Research

An introduction

Authors

• Pauliina Raento University of Helsinki

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30676/jfas.156834

Abstract

Gambling today is a multi-billion-dollar industry with global influence. It is a prominent part of culture and a major financial contributor to society in Finland  nd many other countries where governments own, license and regulate gambling enterprises. Most people in Western societies have some experience of   ambling, and many buy a lottery ticket, play slot machines, or bet on sports as a regular part of their leisure. Over the past decades the gambling industry has  grown massively, due to its entry into new territories, the increased popularity of gambling, and new globally influential innovations, such as televised poker  tournaments and online gambling. The political, economic and cultural implications of this change have been notable. Gambling scholarship is on the rise and  its foci are broadening especially in the social sciences and cultural studies.