駒澤大学心理学論集，2011，第13号，35-43 2011, 13, 35 -43 原 著 A Study of Gambling in Hong Kong,Macao,Singapore and Japan Yoshihiro Takahashi (Department of Psychology, Komazawa University, Japan) Raymond K.H. Chan (Department of Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong) K.Y. Leung (Macao Polytechnic Institute, Macao) K.S. Wong (Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society, Singapore) Kiyoshi Hayashi (Shiraumegakuen College, Japan) Hiroko Takahashi (Tokyo Management College, Japan) Rie Nagasawa (Graduate School of Psychology, Rissho University, Japan) In measuring the respondents’attitudes on PURPOSE gambling, the survey adopted a 5-point Likert Currently, gambling addictive gambling, and scale. While the score of 3 is the mid-point, the problems it generated are key concerns of score and mean score below 3 will be consid- practitioners in social work, counselling and ered as negative:‘dislike’, ‘bad’, ‘negative’, ‘un- psychotherapy. Moreover, studies on the interested’and ‘gambler not smart’; and vice traits of people who have higher acceptance of versa if the score and mean score is above 3. gambling or exhibiting pathological tendencies RESULTS attract researchers’attention (e.g.Pentry,2005; Mizuguchi, 1985;Sato et al,2005). These atti- Age and sex ratio of the participant are tude and tendency are related to their personal shown in Table 1 and 2. conditions, apart from the cultural and social The gender balance was different among factors constituting their background. This those societies:we have more female samples study is to provide an overview of the youth’s than male except in Japan. However, it was attitude towards gambling. found that percentage of either sex samples could still occupied approximately 40 per cent METHOD of the total. This survey was conducted in four different The survey also explored if the samples areas in Asia in 2004 to 2005 and it was themselves have been regularly or occasionally designed to collect descriptive data concerning engaged in gambling activities. The result the youth attitudes toward gambling,especially showed that they were not regular gamblers. the impacts of perceived social distance Relatively speaking, mahjong was more popu- between the gamblers and the youth. Those lar among the youths in Hong Kong,Macao and who participated in the survey were university Singapore; and Singapore youth also has a students. The survey has a total of 1,094 sam- relatively higher participation rate in poker ples, with the following distributions in each (card games). On the whole, Japan youth has society:Hong Kong:325;Macao:136;Singapor- the lowest participation rate in these gambling e: 200; Japan: 433. The respondents were all activities (see Table 3). college students, their age range concentrated On the whole,none of the youth respondent in in 18 to 21, meaning most of them were under- all societies possessed positive attitudes on graduates, except in Singapore. gambling in all aspects measured in this survey. 35 Table 1:Age Range Age range Hong Kong Macao Singapore Japan 18-21 252(77.5) 80(58.8) 88(44.0) 394(92.3) 22-25 69(21.3) 32(23.6) 96(48.0) 28(6.6) 26 & above 4(1.2) 24(17.6) 16(8.0) 5(1.2) Total 325(100.0) 136(100.0) 200(100.0) 433(100.0) (%) Table 2:Gender Hong Kong Macao Singapore Japan Male 147(45.5) 52(38.2) 98(49.0) 254(59.5) Female 176(54.5) 84(61.8) 102(51.0) 173(40.5) Total 323(100.0) 136(100.0) 200(100.0) 427(100.0) (%) Among them, youth in Japan and Singapore friends and their family members. The survey have a less negative impression on gambling, hypothesized that the closer the distance, the and followed by Hong Kong. Interesting, higher expectationnormally a higher ethical Macao’s youth has the most negative impres- and moral demandon these two groups of sion on gambling,probably related to the preva- persons,comparing with the ordinary gamblers; lence of the gambling industry and the prob- and hence stronger rejection resulting in more lems associated in the city (Table 4). negative judgment. For the gambling activities currently While comparing the youths’perception of prevailed in different societies,the survey find- the gamblers, depending on their social close- ings revealed that impression on the gamblers ness with them,it became more negative if the involved in various types of gambling activities, gamblers were their close friends. The percep- was varied(mean scores ranged from 2.4 to 3.2). tions recorded a drop among all items (mean The overall mean scores, including the five scores ranged from 2.72 in Singapore and 2.88 in items surveyed in the four societies,were 2.88 in Japan), except horse racing among the Hong Hong Kong to 2.98 in Japan. Gamblers involv- Kong youth, soccer betting among Japanese ing themselves in soccer betting and horse rac- and Macao youth; and mahjong among the ing were considered as slightly negative in all Japanese youth. This might show that they places (m＝2.7 to 2.9). For those who played have a different expectation on their close mahjong, only the Japanese youth considered friends for not involving in various kinds of they as slightly negative (m＝2.8). This might gambling activities (Table 6). probably due to the cultural differences as Mahjong has a long history in Chinese societies The survey further explores the respondents’ as a popular entertainment, and being consid- attitude on the gamblers who were their family ered as a social activity rather than merely a members. Confirming our hypothesis,the find- gambling activity (Table 5). ings revealed that respondents have more negative perception of the gamblers if they The survey further measured the respon- were family members (mean scores ranged dents’perception on the gamblers who were in from 2.40 in Hong Kong to 2.46 in Macao and different social distance with them:their close Singapore)(Table 7). 36 Table 3:Frequency of participating in the gambling activity (ies) in the past 12 months Gambling activities Hong Kong Macao Singapore Japan N Mean SD N Mean SD N Mean SD N Mean SD Mahjong 323 2.1 1.1 129 2.1 1.0 200 2.1 1.1 433 1.2 0.6 Horse racing 322 1.2 0.5 127 1.2 0.6 200 1.1 0.5 431 1.2 0.6 Soccer betting 323 1.5 0.9 128 1.4 0.8 200 1.7 1.2 432 1.2 0.7 Poker (Card Games) 322 1.8 1.0 129 1.9 1.0 200 2.2 1.0 432 1.5 0.9 Lottery Ticket (e.g. 323 1.9 1.0 128 1.5 0.7 200 1.9 1.1 433 1.1 0.4 “Mark 6”) Bicycle racing 85 1.2 0.6 432 1.2 0.7 Baccarat 90 1.2 0.6 433 1.5 1.1 Pachinko 87 1.3 0.6 431 1.0 0.4 Boat racing 85 1.1 0.4 433 1.0 1.1 Casino 200 1.3 0.6 Jackpot 200 1.3 0.6 Others 30 1.5 1.1 16 1.6 0.9 200 0.0 0.0 430 0.4 0.6 Note:1never;2very few;3occasionally;4often;5always. 3 7 Table 4:Attitude on gambling Attitude Hong Kong Macao Singapore Japan N Mean SD N Mean SD N Mean SD N Mean SD Like/ 325 2.6 0.8 132 2.5 0.9 200 2.8 0.9 432 2.8 1.0 Dislike Good/ 324 2.5 0.8 132 2.5 0.9 200 2.7 0.8 331 2.6 0.9 Bad Positive/ 325 2.4 0.8 134 2.5 0.9 200 2.6 0.8 431 2.7 1.0 Negative Interested/ 328 2.6 1.0 133 2.3 1.1 200 2.7 1.1 432 2.8 1.2 Uninterested Smart/ 324 2.3 0.9 131 2.2 1.0 200 2.7 0.9 432 2.9 0.9 Not Smart Overall 2.48 2.4 2.7 2.76 Note: 1-Very Dislike to 5-Very Like 1-Very Bad 1 to 5-Very Good 1-Very Negative to 5-Very Positive 1-Very Uninterested to5-Very Interested 1-Very “Not Smart”to 5-Very “Smart” Table 5:Perception on the gamblers engaged in different gambling activities Gambling Hong Kong Macao Singapore Japan activities N Mean SD N Mean SD N Mean SD N Mean SD Mahjong 324 3.2 0.9 136 3.2 1.0 200 3.1 SD 419 2.8 0.9 Horse racing 322 2.3 0.8 133 2.6 0.9 200 2.4 0.8 423 2.8 0.9 Soccer betting 324 2.7 1.0 134 2.7 0.8 200 2.8 0.7 418 2.9 0.9 Poker (card games) 326 3.1 0.9 134 3.1 0.9 200 3.0 0.9 417 3.1 0.9 Lottery 324 3.1 0.8 133 3.1 0.8 200 3.0 0.8 423 3.3 0.8 Ticket (e.g. “Mark 6”) 5-items overall 2.88 2.94 2.86 2.98 Bicycle racing 80 2.9 0.9 415 2.7 0.8 Baccarat 86 2.6 0.9 419 2.9 0.9 Pachinko 83 2.9 0.8 424 2.6 1.1 Boat racing 76 2.8 0.8 411 2.7 0.8 Casino 200 2.6 0.9 Jackpot 200 2.7 0.8 Others 33 2.8 1.0 15 2.8 1.1 1 0.0 0.2 374 2.6 0.9 Note:1-Very Hate;5-Very Pleased 3 8 Table 6:Perception on their close friend(s) who participated in the gambling activity(ies) regularly Gambling Hong Kong Macao Singapore Japan activities N Mean SD N Mean SD N Mean SD N Mean SD Mahjong 324 3.0 0.8 136 2.9 0.9 200 3.0 0.8 422 2.8 0.9 Horse racing 323 2.3 0.8 136 2.4 0.8 200 2.3 0.8 424 2.7 0.9 Soccer betting 326 2.6 0.9 137 2.7 0.8 200 2.7 0.8 419 2.9 0.8 Poker (Card 324 3.0 0.8 135 2.8 0.8 200 2.8 0.8 417 2.9 0.8 Games) L ottery Ticket (e.g.