gambling

People are unlikely to bet against their own preferences in sports or politics, new research suggests, even when such “emotional hedging” may be in their interest.

The issue: Imagine you are offered to bet against your ideal political candidate or favorite team — to bet the Yankees will beat the Red Sox when you are an incorrigible Sox fan, for example, or your favorite politician for president. What’s more, the bet is free. No need to lay out any cash; there’s no risk to you.

Research on the gambling industry has increased in recent years as more states have considered or enacted plans to permit the building of casinos or to allow other forms of gambling. Still, there has been relatively little on-site research chronicling gambling behavior at casinos themselves.

Over the past 50 years, many nations have legalized casino gambling. Thousands of casinos are now located worldwide, in nearly every populated region of the globe. The licensing of such businesses is sometimes a local or regional affair, but larger national and global patterns may also be discernible.

The stereotypical image of gambling is of the bright lights in Las Vegas and all the things that come with it — drinking, strip shows, drugs and high-risk behavior. Critics point out that the image is often further glamorized through entertainment media, and young people of course are more susceptible to such seductive representations.