The Gambling Establishment: Challenging the Power of the Modern Gambling Industry and its Allies

205 Pages·2019·1.648 MB·English

by  Jim Orford

‘The Gambling Establishment is in part a metaphor for the transformation of modern
gambling into an anti- democratic process that transfers wealth from the poor
to the rich. By virtue of its ability to engender behavioural addiction, modern
gambling has become the moral equivalent of the tobacco industry. The good
news is that the pendulum is beginning to swing back to a place where society and
its most vulnerable members are at least being given a fair chance. Jim Orford’s
masterful exposé of the Gambling Establishment provides an agenda of remedial
proposals not only for the deplorable British gambling situation but also for the
problems faced by other countries as well.’
– Thomas F. Babor, Professor of Community Medicine and
Public Health, University of Connecticut School of Medicine,
Farmington, CT, USA
‘This vital book is a rallying cry for change in how governments regulate
gambling. It outlines in forensic detail the ways in which a powerful industry
has exploited regulatory loopholes for unsustainable commercial gain. Orford lays
bare the techniques of deception and marketing that have served the industry’s
quest for limitless profit, and shows how unbridled gambling has damaged the
lives of individuals, communities and the wider economy. This is a timely and
determined book: it is a manifesto for radical change, and strengthens the case for
a new British Gambling Act.’
– Tom Watson, MP, Deputy Leader of the British Labour Party and
Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
‘A fascinating window on the world of commercial gambling, The Gambling
Establishment comprehensively undoes the official narrative that gambling is good,
clean fun and shows instead that it is both addictive and a threat to public health.
Anyone wishing to understand how gambling has become so prevalent in our
society must read this important book, which should be compulsory reading for
all ministers and politicians.’
– Rebecca Cassidy, Professor of Anthropology, Goldsmiths,
University of London
‘That Jim’s ideas on the regulation of gambling are no longer peripheral but now
mainstream is testament to the strength of his philosophy. Where his voice was once
marginalised, it is now the ideological centre of gravity. This intellectual paradigm
shift away from locating blame with individuals and onto harmful products
provided the justification for restrictions on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals, and
this book acts as a compelling manual for navigating this new context, particularly
preparing for a potential backlash from the Gambling Establishment.’
– Matt Zarb- Cousin, Spokesperson for the Stop the FOBTs campaign
‘This is a comprehensive account of Big Gambling as it has become established
in Britain and globally in recent decades, which details the social and health
problems it has brought. Orford unmasks the deception about chances of winning
often built into gambling machines and procedures. He dissects the arguments
gambling interests and government agencies use to justify the new status quo. This
is a thoughtful and comprehensive book presenting a compelling case for change.’
– Robin Room, Professor, La Trobe University,
Australia and Stockholm University, Sweden
‘When we set up Gambling with Lives in 2018, Jim Orford was the first name
that people mentioned when we wanted to know about gambling research. When
we met we understood why he was so highly regarded: his knowledge was vast
and in depth . . . and he was truly independent. More than that, he had personal
experience of the impact that gambling addiction could have on individuals and
families. Jim understood. His narrative and reflections on gambling are essential
reading for anyone involved in wanting to tackle the harms that gambling does.’
– Liz and Charles Ritchie, Co- chairs of Gambling with Lives
‘Professor Orford continues to clearly raise the issues and need for reform in the
gambling industry. This is a much needed and timely contribution which reinforces
the urgent need for change as the UK edges towards the lip of a gambling epidemic.’
– Lord Chadlington, Conservative Peer
THE GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENT
There are now signs that, after decades of phenomenal growth, the era of
unrestrained gambling liberalisation may be coming to an end. However, the
power of the Gambling Establishment is formidable, and it will certainly fight
back. Drawing on research and policy examples from around the world, the book
provides a unified understanding of the dangerousness of modern commercialised
gambling, how its expansion has been deliberately or inadvertently supported, and
how the backlash is now occurring.
The term Gambling Establishment is defined to include the industry which sells
gambling, governments which support it, and a wider network of organisations
and individuals who have subscribed to the ‘responsible gambling’ Establishment
discourse. Topics covered include the psychology of how gambling is now being
advertised and promoted and the way it is designed to deceive gamblers about their
chances of winning; the increased exposure of young people to gambling and the
alignment of gambling with sport; understanding the experience of gambling
addiction; the various public health harms of gambling at individual, family, com-
munity and societal levels; and how evidence has been used to resist change. The
book’s final chapter offers the author’s manifesto for policy change, designed with
Britain particularly in mind but likely to have relevance elsewhere.
With detailed examples given of the ways a number of countries are responding
to these threats to their citizens’ health, this book will be of global interest for aca-
demics, researchers, policymakers and service providers in the field of gambling or
other addictions specifically, and public health and social policy generally.
Jim Orford is a long- standing, internationally recognised researcher and writer
in the fields of addiction and community psychology, one of the UK’s leading
academics on the subject of gambling, and well- known for his critical views on
policy. In 2012 he set up the Gambling Watch UK website to help campaign for a
public health approach to gambling.

THE GAMBLING
ESTABLISHMENT
Challenging the Power of the
Modern Gambling Industry and
its Allies
Jim Orford
First published 2020
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2020 Jim Orford
The right of Jim Orford to be identified as author of this work has been
asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other
means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and
recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing- in- Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN: 978- 0- 367- 08568- 1 (hbk)
ISBN: 978- 0- 367- 08570- 4 (pbk)
ISBN: 978- 0- 367- 08571- 1 (ebk)
Typeset in Bembo
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
CONTENTS
List of Tables ix
List of Figures x
Introduction 1
1 The new backlash against the growth of commercial gambling 5
2 The Gambling Establishment: The industry and its allies
inside and outside government 26
3 The establishment discourse: Five ways we were told how to
think about gambling 42
4 How gambling is forcibly advertised and sold in the modern era 58
5 Is modern gambling fraudulent? How players are deceived
about the chances of winning 73
6 Understanding gambling addiction: Bringing personal
experience and theory together 90
7 Gambling’s harm to individuals, families, communities,
and society 109
viii Contents
8 How the Gambling Establishment has used evidence to
support its position 128
9 Resisting the power of the Gambling Establishment:
A manifesto for change 142
References 167
Index 183
TABLES
1.1 Twenty- first century examples of countries that have taken
decisions to reduce the numbers or dangerousness of
electronic gambling machines (EGMs) 7
1.2 Examples of actions being taken by countries in an effort to
control online gambling 13
2.1 Size of public revenue from gambling in a number of countries
(estimates in Sulkunen et al., 2019, pp 150–1) 36
4.1 Some of the main conclusions to be drawn from studies of
how gambling is advertised 71
7.1 A summary of some of the main areas of gambling’s harm 111
9.1 A manifesto for how gambling should be better managed in
Britain (and elsewhere) in the 2020s and 2030s 143