Political Culture and Gambling Policy: A Cross-National Study

Abstract

This paper seeks to find relationships between political culture and policy making on gambling in four jurisdictions, including Nevada and California, two adjacent U.S. States, and also in Great Britain and IsraeL While the stages of political culture have not advanced to a tightly knit theory from which an array of testable hypotheses can flow, the concept can be helpful in understanding policy developments in gambling across national borders. Though this discussion leans toward the academic style, it offers a practical approach to cultural sensitivity that casino operatives should consider when expanding to divergent populations in new host communities, to avoid policy backlashes that may be detrimental to their gaming financial operations.