The act of gambling has been in existence since the ancient times. Gambling itself dates back to the ancient Egypt, Greek and Chinese regimes. Archaeological reports indicate that evidences of gambling are revealed by tablets and associated implements that date back as early as 2300BC. Gambling may be old, but its popularity, artefacts, game types and moral understanding differ across the historical and cultural divide (Binde, 2005). In the context of modern societies, gambling was highly controversial and in most cases, prohibited, although rarely (Collins, 2003). It was condemned on moral, social, religious and economic grounds (Kingma, 2010).
However, the act has continued to evolve with time into more sophisticated games, most of which involve the use of money. For example, in the current twenty-first century, such forms of activities include horse racing, casino table games, gaming machines and lottery products have made gambling more popular. Gambling has, therefore, as result becomes embedded within the society as an integral form of leisure and entertainment and is also used as a source of revenue for both the private sectors and the government agencies (Les & Nelson, 1995). With increasing post-modern consumer society, gambling has become increasingly regarded as an acceptable leisure-time pursuit. Gambling might, at least in some cases, regarded as edge work with features of voluntary risk taking as an end to itself (Kingma, 2010). Ironically, gambling is marketed and legalised as a safe risk, that is, leisure, meaning the risks of gambling can be controlled (Gephart, 2001). Legalising gambling was first implemented in the State of Nevada in U.S.A, Macau in Asia and Monaco in France (Kingma, 2010). (Collins, 2003) supported legalising of gambling, because the current contemporary society is committed to democratic values. He argues that gambling is legalised because its activities are sources of income to the government and private businesses, including leisure offering organisations. Although gambling has been legalised in
many countries, gambling policies vary from nation to nation (Kingma, 2010).
A good understanding of leisure is critical to the understanding of the place of gambling
in the society. However, people have misconstrued leisure as a disposable time after work and other personal obligations. On the other hand, others perceive leisure as watching television, eating out, taking part in sporting activities and any other kind of activity they may find interesting. Historically, gambling meant playing cheating or playing unfairly. However, in this context, gambling is defined as an act of participants pursuing monetary benefit without using their skills (Brenner & Brenner, 1990). Since the time in memorial, by acquiring and improving gambling skills, gamblers have been able to master the knowledge of playing techniques that can increase their chances of winning certain games. It may include knowledge of predicting horse racing and jockeys’ encounters, and card games (Bruce & Johnson, 1996). People gamble for various reasons may include, but not limited to cultural, financial, psychological, cultural, sociological and recreational purposes (Wildman, 1996). Others gamble to escape from their daily hustles and bustles, to feel excited, to feel a sense of glamour, just to feel a sense of belonging to the hype associated with the casino experience. People perceive casinos as places of ‘high society’ and places of who is who in the field of leisure and entertainment. Also, other people like gambling because it is part of the contemporary social system. For example, children who are now being introduced to gambling, such as playing cards by their parents at home will grow up knowing that gambling is part of social life that one shouldn’t avoid (Gluck, 2013).
Gambling involves taking risks, and, it is the nature of humans to take risks. Taking risk
is influenced by the emotional aspects such as fighting boredom, feeling accomplished and the need to seek for excitement. People may take risks in different forms, such as by climbing steep mountains, skydiving, driving past recommended speed limits on highways and engaging in very risky sports just to feel relieved. Such activities may be associated with gambling because, by definition, gambling involves uncertainty. Nonetheless, it is important to note that gambling is neither psychological nor financially risk-free act. While gamblers may lose of their money, they also risk suffering from psychological, unfavourable biological and social consequences (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). However, these negative effects do not necessarily undermine the fact that gambling is used for leisure and entertainment purposes (Kingma, 2010). Gambling is manifested in different ways. For example, casino gambling involving machine, card games and roulette wheels games which are played at stake, betting on horse and dog races, lotteries competition, poker games for money and also charity and church sponsored competitions (Gospel Ways, 2002).
(Oxford University Press, 2014) defines leisure as the time when someone is free time and
is not occupied by any activity such as work. Free time, in this context, refers to the time away from any disagreeable and unpleasant obligation, with the pleasant obligation being known as leisure (Stebbins, 2011). The term leisure was first used in the late-medieval era, with the same meaning as today, that is, free time from other personal duties and obligations (Hardwick, 2008).
Leisure is conceptualised as an activity since people engage in activities during their free
Time (McLean, 2014). In this case, the concept of leisure is closely connected with recreation. However, this definition would be too confining since it conflicts with other scholars’ understanding of leisure. Definition of leisure as an activity is unfounded because it does not clarify what type of specific activity is considered leisure. For example, while others may view washing clothes as the leisure activity, others may see it as gruelling work (McLean, 2014). Other scholars conceptualise leisure as being functional. The view of leisure as functional differs from the concept of leisure as an activity since it is not defined how best leisure is identified and measured by how it is used, that is, using leisure as an activity. Leisure as a function is associated with issues such as health and fitness and the need to seek self-fulfillment by mastering knowledge and skills and with social cohesion by sharing common interests (Les & Nelson, 1995).
Gambling and leisure are interrelated in that the two are forms of recreational activities. Gambling in its entirety involves activities that stimulate people’s emotion. While others may end up feeling saddened because they may lose the gamble, others with the mastery of gambling may look at gambling as a recreational activity that gives them the leisure. Although gambling is practiced in big Casinos and other areas of entertainments, its legality and morality has been questioned. Before judging its legality, it is important to measure both its positive and negative impacts to the society.
To begin with, gambling is an acceptable form of leisure because of its associated forms
of entertainment. Gambling makes people have a good time and a chance for them to spend their wealth as they want. For example, Casinos where gambling takes place the most offer the best kind of entertainment that one may need. They offer the same or even more excitement than amusement parks and movie theatres. It is with no doubt that gambling in a casino is for a good reason; that is, entertainment (Peoples, 2005). Secondly, being a spectator of gambling is the most enjoyable thing one can experience. Many people find watching gambling as a form of leisure (Ginsburg, 2004). Events such as political elections, watching sports, and award events such as FIFA World Player of the year are among the most interesting when gambling is involved (Internetcasinocouponscodes.com, 2014).
Moreover, gambling is all about socializing. Meeting new competing gamblers and participants has made people broaden their social networks. For example, to most Asians gambling is a form of social activity. Gambling brings together family and friends together and in most circumstances, it is accompanied by leisure, recreation and entertainment to both participants and spectators (Internetcasinocouponscodes.com, 2014). Furthermore, gambling is a form of income to Casino owners and those participating. Participants are professional gamblers who earn a living through gambling. Just like in soccer games where players are paid to entertain spectators, professional gamblers are also paid to entertain those visiting Casinos.
On the other hand, most gambling acts have attached prizes such as winning of a jackpot. Therefore, participants find leisure competing, knowing that they may win the ultimate prizes (Gordon & Grotenstein, 2004). Gambling is an acceptable form of leisure because it
involves all ages. It does not discriminate participants in terms of age. It gives satisfaction to players of different age. It is essential to heed that; however, there is a certain set age category for a person to be eligible to gamble. Nonetheless, gambling gives leisure and benefit to people in younger as well as their golden years. Furthermore, gaming participants have confessed to reap health gains, as a result, of excitement accompanied by the gambling experience (Live2win-gaming.com, 2010). Gambling increases the ability of participants to increase their ability to think past and be quick judges of occasions. It is because most games of chances improve mental abilities of participants. Since most of the gambling involves a bit of mathematical solutions that govern it, gamers are advised to think their way through, more so during times of difficulties in the playing situation. Hence, it is true to say that gambling is an acceptable form of leisure because it leads to improvement of people’s health. The two link health-wise since engagement in both leisure and gambling is meant to improve people’s health. While leisure is meant to bring happiness, gambling a form of leisure might be an important to accomplish this need (Live2win-gaming.com, 2010).
However, all outcomes of gambling are not flowery as discussed in the foregoing. Gambling is also associated price to pay. Although majority like this gaming activity, their inability to prevent the side effects of gambling has resulted into numerous vices in the society to
the extent of declaring gambling unacceptable form leisure. This case is referred to as problem gambling. (Kingma, 2010) pointed out that negative side effect of gambling may range from acts of crime to negative addiction. Some of the side effects associated with problem gambling include the following, as in the discussion hereinafter.
Study reports from Las Vegas show a high rate of suicide of both residents and visitors, as a result of casino gambling. In addition, other studies indicated such factors, such as unrealistic expectations of gamblers, and prior problems of gamblers may leave many of them isolated and with no sense of community, hence they were tempted to commit suicide (Reith, 2006). A study on British casino patrons revealed that 87% and 65% of problem gamblers and problem players confined to their peers about their financial desperation caused by gambling. The study also revealed that 52% of gamblers had sold off their assets to cater for their gambling dates, while, at the same time, 25% had committed illegal antics to gamble or to pay for debts (Reith, 2006). According to (GamCare, 2003), the average debts accumulated by gamblers receiving medication from GamCare in U.K in 2003 was £28,000. Gambling in some other cases may lead to bankruptcy. For example, a study by (Barron et al., 2002) revealed that the bankruptcy level was increasing in over 3000 counties in the U.S due to the presence of casinos in those counties.
Although leisure is supposed to bring happiness to people, gambling which is a form of leisure may lead to misunderstandings among people. Gambling has resulted to financial pressure, arguments, lying between gamblers and their spouses, children, friends or even co-workers. Even worse, in another occasion, gambling has led to broken marriages and domestic violence. For example, in 1600 divorces annually in Australia are as a result of gambling (Reith, 2006). Gambling as a leisure activity may result in social problems such as drug and alcohol abuse and mental health problems. For example, the Productivity Committee of Australia reported that every one person in very five gambles suffered alcoholism (Reith, 2006). Others tend to suffer from greater health complications such as anxiety, stomach problems, insomnia, depressive moods and headaches (Gerstein, et al., 1999). Individuals who preoccupy their entire time to gamble are less productive at work. Reports also indicate individuals who preoccupy their entire time to gamble are less productive at work. According to (Reith, 2006), 50% gamblers under counseling in Australia confessed to having lost their time for work due to gambling. On other occasion some gamblers have lost their jobs altogether, while those who are lucky to keep their jobs report dismal work productivity due to lateness, absenteeism and preoccupation with gambling (Jacques, 1997).
In conclusion, although gambling is perceived to be a vice, its significance in leisure and
entertainment cannot be overlooked. The acceptability of gambling as a form of leisure is a discussion that needs to be done by all parties, that is, casino owners, gamblers and the government. In this case, some nations such as Canada, Australia, the U.S.A, and Britain have introduced jurisdictions that would govern the game of gambling. Such laws are meant to punish unprofessional gamblers as well as ensuring that participants are entertained without being duped. With such practices in place gambling will look at by many as an acceptable form of leisure. Additionally, many people would want to participate in it the game of gambling. Moreover, the need to accept gambling as a form of leisure should be based on the fact that its benefits outweigh its costs if well managed. In the discussion foregoing, gambling has been depicted as to provide entertainment, improve participants’ mental health, and generate revenue to the government and private owners as well as diversifying leisure activities to choose. Although there are vices that accompany these benefits, parties involved just need to be on the lookout not to be carried away by gambling addiction. Therefore, both the critics and supporters of gambling need to accept that gambling is the new form of leisure in the twenty first century and also help the entertainment providers and the government of the day to curb all forms of social evils associated with gambling.