The end of responsible gambling

BACKGROUND: COMMERCIAL GAMBLING POLICY IN MANY IF NOT MOST COUNTRIES IS DOMINATED BY A DISCOURSE OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. THIS ARISES FROM A NUMBER OF FACTORS, INCLUDING THE DOMINANCE OF THE DISCOURSE OF 'RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING' IN MUCH GAMBLING RESEARCH. THIS INDIVIDUALISING DISCOURSE TRANSFERS RESPONSIBILITY FOR GAMBLING HARM TO THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE IT, AND AWAY FROM THE PRACTICES OF A RAPIDLY GROWING AND HIGHLY PROFITABLE COMMERCIAL GAMBLING INDUSTRY.

METHODS: BOURDIEU'S CONCEPTS OF DOXA, ORTHODOXY AND HETERODOXY ARE UTILISED TO ANALYSE THE ORTHODOXY OF GAMBLING POLICY AND RESEARCH, THAT IS 'A SITUATION WHERE THE ARBITRARINESS OF DOXA IS RECOGNISED, BUT ACCEPTED IN PRACTICE' (DEER, 2014). THE CONCEPT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AS A COMPETING PARADIGM FOR ADDRESSING GAMBLING HARM IS ANALYSED. A PARADIGM OF 'CRITICAL PUBLIC HEALTH' IS IDENTIFIED AS A PRIME CANDIDATE FOR CONTESTATION OF THE DOMINANCE OF THIS ORTHODOXY. THE NATURE OF THIS PARADIGM IS DESCRIBED.

RESULTS: THE ORTHODOXY OF RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING HAS SERVED THE GAMBLING INDUSTRY WELL, ALLOWING ITS EXPANSION AT A RAPID RATE, AND PERMITTING CONTINUED GROWTH OF PROFITS, WHILE LARGELY IGNORING THE POSSIBILITY OF EFFECTIVE HARM PREVENTION AND MINIMISATION. TO ADDRESS THIS SIGNIFICANT DEFICIT IN POLICY AND PRACTICES THAT EFFECTIVELY PREVENT HARM, IT IS NECESSARY TO SUBSTANTIALLY ALTER THE ORIENTATION OF THE EXISTING, ORTHODOX RESEARCH PARADIGM.

CONCLUSIONS: THE EXISTING ORTHODOXY IS COMPLETELY INEFFECTIVE AS A HARM REDUCTION PARADIGM. HOW THIS MIGHT BE SUBSTANTIALLY ALTERED IS THE FOCUS OF THIS PAPER, WHICH PROPOSES AN ALTERNATIVE, HETERODOX DISCOURSE WHICH MAY PROVIDE A BASIS FOR INSTITUTING A NEW CRITICAL PARADIGM THAT PLACES HARM PREVENTION AT THE CORE OF RESEARCH, POLICY AND PRACTICE. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS HAVE PRODUCED CONSIDERABLE IMPETUS FOR THIS TO COME ABOUT. HOW THIS MIGHT BEST BE ACHIEVED IS OUTLINED AND ENLARGED UPON.