Abstract

Within a neo-liberal economic orthodoxy, the gambling industry has succeeded in the discursive feat of transforming gambling from its previous pariah pastime status to normalized entertainment. This contemporary discourse of gambling as entertainment has repositioned gambling as harmless fun. The comfortable orthodoxy of ‘responsible gambling’ adopts language emphasizing concepts such as ‘personal responsibility’. A focus on the lack of self-control of delinquent users deflects attention away from harmful products, diminishing scrutiny of industry failure to appropriately address gambling harms. We analyzed data derived from interviews with stakeholders familiar with the gambling licensing process in Victoria, Australia, in order to identify if and how the discursive structures of this comfortable orthodoxy manifest in discussions on gambling. Data were derived from thematic analysis of 21 interviews with decision makers, industry advocates, and other stakeholders. Evidence highlights multiple recurring discursive structures of the ‘comfortable orthodoxy’, including the narrative of gambling as legalized recreation, personal choice and self-responsibility. Highlighting the pervasiveness of this discourse, these narratives were evident across the spectrum of informants. This research illustrates the way in which multiple gambling stakeholders deploy the discursive structures underpinning gambling regulation and operations. Discourses establish understanding of the nature of specific issues, and can influence responses to public health or other policy problems. In this instance, a discourse overwhelmingly favoring industry interests, has the potential to entrench and support harmful systems of exploitation and harm creation. Transforming the responsible gambling discourse is an important focus for public health activity concerned with reducing gambling related harm.

摘要

在新自由主义经济正统观念中，赌博业成功地实现了将赌博从以前的贱民消遣状态转变为规范化娱乐活动的话语权。当代关于娱乐性赌博的论述将赌博重新定位为无害的娱乐。舒适的“负责任赌博”正统观念采用了强调“个人责任”等概念的语言。对缺乏经验的用户缺乏自我控制的关注使人们的注意力从有害产品转移开了，从而减少了对行业失败的审查力度，从而无法适当地解决赌博的危害。我们分析了从与澳大利亚维多利亚州的赌博许可流程熟悉的利益相关者的访谈中获得的数据，以便确定这种舒适正统的话语结构是否以及如何在关于赌博的讨论中体现出来。数据来自对决策者，行业倡导者和其他利益相关者进行的21次访谈的主题分析。证据突出了“舒适正统”的多种反复性话语结构，包括将赌博叙述为合法娱乐，个人选择和自我责任感。这些叙述贯穿了整个线人，突显了这种话语的普遍性。这项研究说明了多个赌博利益相关者部署以赌博监管和运营为基础的话语结构的方式。话语建立了对特定问题性质的理解，并且可以影响对公共卫生或其他政策问题的反应。在这种情况下，一种压倒性优势有利于行业利益的话语，有可能巩固和支持有害的剥削和伤害创造系统。转变负责任的赌博话语是与减少赌博相关危害有关的公共卫生活动的重要重点。