A qualitative study of gambling, deprivation and monetary motivations

ABSTRACT

The link between gambling and deprivation is well recognized both in the UK and internationally; and manipulating perceptions of relative deprivation can encourage people to gamble. The current study sought to learn more about whether individuals who gamble consciously perceive themselves to be motivated by feelings of deprivation, and how this is contextualized alongside monetary factors more broadly. Thematic analysis was conducted on 25 in-depth qualitative interviews with UK residents who gamble regularly; most of whom resided in areas of high socio-economic deprivation. Monetary themes relating to financial circumstances, the meaning and value of money, and the perception of gambling as a way to make money, all had strong relevance for deprivation, though people did not often endorse the idea that relative deprivation was important to them, per se. We conclude that gambling motivations are complex and heterogeneous, and that it is pertinent for prevention and intervention strategies for problem gambling to consider individuals’ financial circumstances and how they perceive them, along with how this intersects with their gambling motives.

KEYWORDS:

• Gambling
• deprivation
• monetary
• money
• motivations
• qualitative

Conflicts of interestFunding sources

This research was funded by the Staffordshire Centre for Health and Development, Small Grants Fund.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Constraints on publishing

There are no constraints on publishing to declare.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Joanne Lloyd

Joanne Lloyd is a Senior Lecturer in Cyberpsychology, and a member of CRUW - the Cyberpsychology Research group at the University of Wolverhampton, within the Centre for Psychological Research. Her research interests focus on gaming, gambling, and the areas of overlap between the two.

Laura Louise Nicklin

Laura Louise Nicklin is a Research Fellow in Cyberpsychology and a member of CRUW - the Cyberpsychology Research group at the University of Wolverhampton, within the Centre for Psychological Research. Her research interests focus around Cyberpsychology, education and social justice, gambling and gaming and interventions in criminal behavior.

Stephanie Kate Rhodes

Stephanie Kate Rhodes is an Associate Lecturer for the Open University with links to the Cyberpsychology Research group at the University of Wolverhampton, within the Centre for Psychological Research. Her research interests focus around decision making, gambling and individual differences related to cognitive biases.

Gemma Hurst

Gemma Hurst is a Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology, a registered Health Psychologist and a member of the Centre for Psychological Research at Staffordshire University. Her research interests relate to health inequalities and the wider determinants of health.