Gambling Behaviors Among Korean Immigrant Elders in New York City: An Exploratory Study

Objectives: Asian immigrant elders are a rapidly growing population. Within the Asian population, the number of Asians aged 65 years and older has grown from 1.8% to 3.3% between 1995 and 2008. Most of them immigrated in their adulthood, and face unique challenges adjusting to new environments. They may turn to gambling to socialize and relieve boredom. In moving from a society without legalized gambling into a society with abundant gambling opportunities, they may experience a higher level of problem gambling and a subsequently significant reduction in quality of life. However, knowledge about gambling among Asian American immigrant elders is significantly lacking. The purpose of this study is to explore and understand the experiences of gambling among Korean immigrant elders, from their own accounts.

Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted in the Korean language with a convenience sample of 10 men and 10 women recruited through a Korean senior center in New York City. Inclusion criteria were Korean immigrant elders who 1) are 65 years or older; 2) are fluent in Korean; 3) have experience gambling in the past 12 months; and 4) have no known cognitive disability. Audio files were transcribed verbatim and independently analyzed by two bicultural researchers. Both researchers repeatedly read the text to get a holistic sense of the material, and used a thematic analysis to search for important concepts and relationships among them through constant comparison.

Results: Exploring the experiences of Korean immigrant elders revealed four themes. In theme 1 (gambling is good), casino gambling was a way to escape boredom with a small amount of money. Buying a lotto ticket offers great expectations of positive outcomes until the day of announcement. For seniors with limited financial resources, gambling could be a source of vitality in everyday life.

In theme 2 (gambling is bad), gambling is a symbol of laziness and lavish spending. It can result in financial hardships and a breakup of family structure. Some understood gambling as an absolute societal evil because it entices with effortless money and a decisive mechanism where everyone loses. In theme 3 (definitions of problem gambling), gambling addiction makes people greedy and ugly, and want to go back to break even. Death is the only way to stop gambling addiction. In theme 4 (double-standards in gambling), all participants defined and assessed the risks of problem gambling, and explained why their behavior is not at the problematic level. Additionally, while they condemned gambling as a total waste of money and a donation without a cause, they also bought lotto tickets the morning after having a lucky dream.

Implications: For many of them, gambling is a common leisure activity. It may mean that Korean immigrant elders need alternative leisure activities they can enjoy without serious negative consequences. While they often gamble, they also stigmatize gambling behaviors. Cultural stigma attached to gambling may prevent them from getting help they really need.