Measuring Underlying Meanings of Gambling from the Perspective of Enduring Involvement

This study explores the underlying personal meanings of gambling behavior from the perspective of enduring involvement and considers the relationships among gambling and gender, level of participation, and illusion of control. Based on a self-administered survey of gambling visitors to Black Hawk, Colora, the study found three underlying factors of gambling involvement: (1) self-identity, (2) pleasure/importance, and (3) centrality. The study also found gender differences in gambling involvement, suggesting that male participants tended to view gambling as a form of self-enhancement or self-expression more strongly than did female participants. Management and research implications drawn from these findings are discussed.