1. Reframing the gambling field: epistemological and methodological shifts and the study of the gambling/gaming convergence
Sylvia Kairouz, Ph.D.
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Concordia University
Addictions 2017
Lisbon, October

2. Disclosure Funding sources No conflict of interest
Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ-SC)
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
No conflict of interest
Gambling:
2016: 45.9 billion
2024: 96.9 billion
Gaming:
2016:99.6 billion
2019: 118 billion 2

3. Outline Historical perspective: Origin and evolution of games
Divergence of the two-fields:
Theoretical perspectives
Methodological approaches
Convergences of the two-fields:
The influence of digital technologies
The zones of contentions
The unanswered questions
Gambling:
2016: 45.9 billion
2024: 96.9 billion
Gaming:
2016:99.6 billion
2019: 118 billion 2

4. Historical evolution GAMING Symbolic interactionism
Society of the study of play
GAMING
GAMBLING
Micro-social encounters
Symbolic interactionism
Social Psychology
Both fields went in different directions
(Blumer, 1969; Goffman, 1961)
(Bandura, 1986) 4

5. Disciplinary divide Predominance of psychological theories
Individually-based analysis
Problem-based analysis
Quantitative population-based approaches
Focus on the benefits of consuming games
Qualitative approach based on the lived experience
Context-based analysis
Predominance of sociological theories 5

6. Contrasting the fields
GAMING
Socially acceptable
Focus on positive impacts
Exclusion of harm
No regulations
Large economic sector
GAMBLING
Socially sanctioned
Focus on harm
Exclusion of positive experience
Market largely regulated
Large economic sector 6

7. Contrasting the fields
GAMING
Socially acceptable
Focus on positive impacts
Exclusion of harm
No regulations
Large economic sector
GAMBLING
Socially sanctioned
Focus on harm
Exclusion of positive experience
Market largely regulated
Large economic sector
Gamblification
Gamification 6

8. Monetary transactions
Evolution and changes
Sociality
Interactivity
Gambling
Reward system
Monetary transactions
Gaming 8 9

9. Evolution and changes Hybrid Gam(bl)ing Overlapping Gaming Gambling
New challenges
Hybrid
Gam(bl)ing 9

10. New symbolic-interactionist framework ?
Multidimensional
Interactional context
Multilevel
Interpersonal level & social life
Dynamic
Objects of orientation of feelings & actions 10

11. Complexity in contexts
Emergence = process out of which new, novel, or revitalized social entities arise, that constitute change in everyday routines, practices & perspectives constitutive of new social life.
Pleasure
Harm
Meaning in contexts
Objective realities
Qualitative
Quantitative 11

12. Implication for gambling studies
Revisiting concepts pertaining to prevention in traditional gambling
Converging with basic notions in the gaming field:
The notion of play and pleasure
The importance of social context & sociality
The importance of the lived experience and the symbolic meaning of gambling
The notion of human agency 12

13. New challenges for the gambling field
Investigating the complexity of new digitalized forms of gambling (& hybrid games) (Gainsbury et al., 2014; King et al., 2012; Schull, 2005):
Multilevel, multidimensional models
Dynamic models and integration of game/gamblers feedback loops.
Feedback loops
Gamblers
Machine
Gambling
Data feedback
Algorithm
-Gainsbury, SM, Hing, N, Delfabbro, PH & King, DL (2014). A taxonomy of gambling and casino games via social media and online technologies. International gambling Studies, 14(2),
-King, D. L., Delfabbro, P. H., Derevensky, J. L., & Griffiths, M. D. A review Australian classification practices for commercial video games featuring simulated gambling. International Gambling Studies. 2012, 12, p
-Schull, ND (2005). Digital Gambling: The coincidence of desire and design. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 13

14. New challenges for the gambling field
Investigating new digitalized forms of gambling in relation to mobility (Green, 2002; Lupton, 2015; Pastinelli, 2006):
Connectivity, space, and games
Connectivity, time, and games
Redefining the dimensions of addictions – the importance of time
The notion of human agency
-Green, N. On the move : Technology, mobility, and the mediation of social time and space. The Information Society (4): p
-Lupton, D. Digital sociology. 2015, Abingedon, OX: Routledge.
-Pastinelli, M. Habiter le temps réel: ethnographie des modalités de l’être ensemble’ dans l’espace électronique. Anthropologie et sociétés, (2) : p 14

15. THANK YOU
concordia.ca/fr/recherche/chairejeu