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Abstract
The popularity of gambling among the Asian American population, including Southeast Asian immigrants, is well documented. Compared to other forms of gambling, Asians appear to primarily prefer casino gambling. Research suggests cultural factors might contribute to Asians’ casino gambling behavior. The leisure field, however, has yet to investigate Asians’ casino gambling from a cultural perspective. The purpose of this study was to examine the roles of acculturation and enculturation processes on casino gambling among Laotians. Data were collected through individual interviews with 13 participants whose origins were from Laos. The audiotaped interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded, and thematically analyzed. The findings indicated that enculturation played a critical role on participants’ casino gambling behavior whereas the impact of acculturation was not as clear. Also, casinos afforded participants space to play games, socialize, and enjoy some leisure time.