Gambling Policies in European Welfare States

‘This wide ranging and comprehensive volume for the first time situates the growing complexities of European gambling in their wider socio-economic context. Highly readable and engaging, the chapters explore important issues such as welfare and justice, ethics and competition, and the role of law and the state. In doing so, the volume tackles the political and regulatory patchwork that characterises gambling provision across Europe, as well as suggesting some innovative ways of thinking about its future.’ Gerda Reith, University of Glasgow, UK
‘This volume goes beyond the often limited focus in gambling studies and gambling policies on legal arguments and cost-benefit analyses of national gambling markets, by revealing and analyzing the very diverse, highly controversial and complex contradictory relationships between gambling markets, public interests and the EU context.’ Sytze F. Kingma, VUniversity Amsterdam, Netherlands ​This edited book draws on a cross-cultural and historical lens to theoretically and practically analyse gambling regulations and the use of gambling revenue. It takes on a broad spectrum of perspectives, from the origin of the money, to the regulators, operators and beneficiaries of gambling, and looks at the interests, networks and power relations involved.
This multidisciplinary collection elicits a shift in analysis, shedding light on a broader societal, historical and economic view of gambling and gambling policies, by its attention to implicit networks of power, influential legislation, gambling provision and infrastructure.

Gambling Policies in European Welfare States will be of interest to students and scholars alike who are seeking cross-national and interdisciplinary analyses of welfare, politics, sociology and economics.