Persons who can be criminally liable for handling an event and for arrangement bets

In the Republic of Moldova, individuals and legal entities, respectively, can be held criminally liable for handling an event and for arranged bets. It was found that the subject of the offense of arranged betting has the special quality of a person who knows with certainty about the existence of an agreement regarding the cheating of the betting event. It is also not excluded that the organizer of the arranged bet may be the organizer of the bet. In fact, these games of chance can only work and be maintained if the majority of those who bet, lose more than they win. Last but not least, it has been established that those who commit harmful acts in cyberspace, who are liable to criminal liability for handling an event and for arranged bets (and not only), cannot remain incognito. They need to be identified and differentiated from justice.

Skin gambling predicts problematic gambling amongst adolescents when controlling for monetary gambling

Background and aims Skin gambling uses in-game items (skins) acquired in video games, to gamble on esports, games of chance, other competitive events and privately with friends. This study examined characteristics of adolescent skin gamblers, their engagement in monetary gambling, and relationships between skin gambling and at risk/problem gambling. Methods Two samples of Australian adolescents aged 12–17 years were recruited to an online survey through advertisements (n = 843) and an online panel provider (n = 826). Results In both samples, past-month skin gamblers (n = 466 advertisements sample; n = 185 online panel sample) were more likely to have lower wellbeing, score as having an internet gaming disorder on the IGD, engage in more types of monetary gambling, and meet criteria for problem gambling on the DSM-IV-MR-J. Past-month skin gambling uniquely predicted problem gambling when controlling for past-month gambling on 11 monetary forms and the total number of monetary gambling forms. Discussion and conclusions Underage participation in skin gambling is a growing concern. The strong convergence between engagement in skin gambling and monetary gambling suggests common risk factors may increase the propensity of some adolescents to gamble on these multiple forms. Nonetheless, past-month skin gambling predicted problem gambling even when controlling for past-month monetary gambling, indicating its unique contribution to gambling problems and harm. While the study was based on non-probability samples, its results strengthen the case for regulatory reforms, age restrictions and public health education to prevent underage skin gambling and its potentially harmful consequences for children and young people.

Are esports bettors a new generation of harmed gamblers? A comparison with sports bettors on gambling involvement, problems, and harm

Background and aimsEsports betting is expanding in popularity, yet little is known about who participates in this niche gambling activity. This study aimed to determine whether esports bettors are more vulnerable to harms and problems than gamblers engaged in traditional sports betting.MethodsData were collected from 298 regular esports bettors and 300 sports bettors (who regularly bet on traditional sports, but not esports). These groups were compared on demographics, gambling involvement, problem gambling, and gambling-related harms.ResultsCompared to sports bettors, esports bettors were more likely to be younger, university-educated, employed (lower income earners), and speak a non-English language at home. Esports bettors gambled on fewer traditional gambling activities in the last 12 months, but compared to sports bettors, gambled more frequently on some activities, were more likely to meet problem gambler criteria (64.8.% vs 17.3%), and experience at least one gambling-related harm (81.9% vs 45.3%). Being an esports bettor significantly predicted greater problem gambling severity and gambling-related harms. More frequent esports skin betting and skin gambling (on games of chance) were significant predictors of gambling problems amongst esports bettors.Discussion and conclusionThe results provide preliminary evidence that esports bettors are more likely to experience gambling problems compared to their sports betting counterparts, potentially stemming from their involvement in emerging video-game related gambling products.

The Roll of the Dice

The topic of probability is introduced through analysis of games of chance, using the casino games of roulette and the dice game craps. The nature of probability is explored, including different interpretations of what probability actually is. Ways of combining probabilities are described. The player will lose in the long run, but how long a run is needed for this to show itself? The asymmetry between the player and the gambling house is explored. The Gambler’s Fallacy is contrasted to the law of large numbers.

Gambling in Spain: the need for a geographical perspective

The social practice of games of chance and gambling can be read in an interesting variety of ways in the area of the Social Sciences. One is the geographical perspective, which highlights the spatial repercussions of this form of recreation. However, in Spain, very little scientific literature exists on the topic, which justifies the appropriateness of this contribution with the purpose of establishing an initiatory conceptual and methodological framework. A variety of statistical and legal sources are treated to establish three levels of analysis: first, the position of games of chance and gambling in Spain in the international context; second, location patterns in Spain at the regional level, and third, the spatial aspects of the different legal norms at the autonomous community level. To conclude, games of chance and gambling are a deep-rooted form of recreation in Spain and offer interesting lines of geographical research, although it would be desirable for the quality, variety, and accessibility of data to be improved.

Covidomics & covidocial impacts: The relation between consumers’ fear of Covid-19, panic spending and saving behavior

In this study, the fear created by the Covid-19 global epidemic on consumers (general fear of viruses and fear of activity), spending (cleaning products, preventive health products, fresh and organic food and vitamin/mineral support, clothing, education, home purchasing, vehicle, loan. The relationship between buying, rental, fashion, vacation, travel, entertainment, electronics, home decor/furniture, mobile phone, activity and general) and savings have been tested. For this purpose, in order to test the relationship between fear, saving, and spending during the Covid-19 pandemic process, a Likert-scale online survey link was shared on social networks (Twitter, LinkedIn). The total of 385 surveys was analyzed using Google Form and SPSS program (Anova, Regression). As a result of the analysis, fear (general fear and fear of activity), spending (education, vehicles/cars, monopoly products, and tobacco products, games of chance, home buying and renting, loans, luxury/fashion, games, and toys, vitamins, minerals, and food support, public services, home, and furniture décor, electronic products (including mobile phones) expenditures remained the same, protective healthcare products, cleaning products, fresh and organic food expenditures increased, travel, public transportation expenditures decreased, holiday and entertainment expenditures decreased significantly). In the research, it was determined that 42% of the participants increased their savings by 30.5% slightly, and the amount of savings did not change at all for 27% of the participants. According to the results, as consumers' fear of Covid-19 increases, some spending categories (health products, cleaning products, fresh and organic food spending) and savings rate increase. In addition, it was observed that 90% of the participants canceled their expenses due to Covid-19. As a result of the research, significant relationships were found between the variables of fear, saving, and spending during the Covid-19 pandemic process.