Abstract

The study aims at investigating recreational gamblers' behaviour focusing on their attitudes, motivations and beliefs. The approach to gambling and the way in which people develop a gambling behaviour are influenced by social and cultural factors. Therefore, three focus groups were conducted with eighteen gamblers who lived in a specific sociocultural context and played different forms of gambling. All forms of legal gambling are analyzed in order to take into account elements of differentiation eventually related to the intrinsic characteristics of each game. Results provide new insights on the topic. First, gamblers bet (all or part of) the money they won because, being unexpected, it is perceived as a surplus. Second, people gamble to get rid of coins received as change. The humble value they represent and the bother of keeping them in a bulky pocket are sufficient motives to gamble them. Third, gamblers have a negative attitude towards gambling and a stereotyped image of the different forms of gambling, coming from long time suggestions in gambling places. Implication for social marketing policy are discussed with suggestions for future research.