“Gambling pervades society – from online gamblers, casino regulars and betting office punters to those buying lottery tickets and scratch cards. This book explores the extent of gambling and opens a debate on the crucially important topic of its effects on society. The author is an internationally respected leader in his field – I can think of nobody better qualified to produce a work which will no doubt have a profound influence in policy terms and at the same time be a ‘good read’.”
―Professor Roy Light, Director of Research, Bristol Law School, UK
“There is growing interest in this topic internationally, coinciding with continued expansion of gambling and increased awareness of individual and societal harms associated with some gambling forms. Jim Orford has a solid understanding of the UK situation and its international context, and writes in a clear, interesting manner. His singular, coherent presentation will help inform public and political debate regarding gambling policy.”
―Professor Max Abbott, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology
The dramatic and international expansion of gambling facilities in recent years has not just left policy makers and regulatory agencies struggling to keep up – health and social service professions are increasingly becoming aware of the insidious effects of gambling addiction on individuals and families.
In An Unsafe Bet? The Dangerous Rise of Gambling and the Debate We Should Be Having, psychologist and addiction specialist Jim Orford brings together the evidence that gambling represents a danger to public health due to its inherent addiction potential. Orford reveals how this threat is being intentionally downplayed by government, the gambling industry, and others who have become complicit in gambling expansion without widespread public support.
Illuminating and sure to be controversial, An Unsafe Bet? reveals the hand of the gambling industry, exposing the unseen costs of pervasive gambling to individuals, families and society at large.
From the Back Cover
The dramatic and international expansion of gambling facilities in recent years has not just left policy makers and regulatory agencies struggling to keep up – health and social service professions are increasingly becoming aware of the insidious effects of gambling addiction on individuals and families.
In An Unsafe Bet? The Dangerous Rise of Gambling and the Debate We Should Be Having, psychologist and addiction specialist Jim Orford brings together the evidence that gambling represents a danger to public health due to its inherent addiction potential. Orford reveals how this threat is being intentionally downplayed by government, the gambling industry, and others who have become complicit in gambling expansion without widespread public support.
Illuminating and sure to be controversial, An Unsafe Bet? reveals the hand of the gambling industry, exposing the unseen costs of pervasive gambling to individuals, families and society at large.
About the Author
Jim Orford is Emeritus Professor of Clinical and Community Psychology at the University of Birmingham. He is the author of several books on addictions including Excessive Appetites (1985, 2001), Community Psychology (1992, 2008) and, with colleagues, Gambling and Problem Gambling in Britain (2003).
Wow! eBook
