This article examines cryptocurrency trading in Turkey, focusing on the ‘gamblification’ of this emerging market. Based on 18 months of ethnographic research (2021-2022) conducted during an economic crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the research reveals how Turks engaged with cryptocurrencies are considering the structural parallels between trading and gambling. The article also incorporates the perspective of Turkey's Directorate for Religious Affairs (Diyanet), which has declared cryptocurrency trading impermissible, highlighting the tension between contemporary financial practices and traditional Islamic frameworks. The article links the perception of cryptocurrency trading as a modern game of chance, as articulated by research participants, to Turkey's economic instability and their technological shift from traditional state-regulated games of chance (lotteries, betting on sports, and horse racing) to cryptocurrency trading. My ethnographic method brings new empirical data and qualitative analysis to understand the cultural and religious dynamics shaping this emergent financial phenomenon in the under-studied context of Turkey. I argue that cryptocurrency adoption in Turkey is driven by more than economic necessity; it reflects a cultural transformation valuing modernity and innovation. Many Turks view cryptocurrency as a viable alternative to traditional financial systems and a representation of the future of money. This shift signifies a departure from conventional monetary practices and reflects a collective idealisation of the future of finance. The article thus illuminates how Turkish individuals navigate risk and speculation during economic crises, demonstrating their adaptability in engaging with non-monetary financial markets.

(Un)Lucky Designs? What Game Jams Can Contribute to Critical Gambling Studies. Un article de la revue Critical Gambling Studies (Critical Directions in Early-Career Gambling Studies) diffusée par la plateforme Érudit.

The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate the strategies used by the gambling industry to influence the reforming of the state online monopoly into a licensing system in Sweden in 2019, and to weaken state online monopoly in Finland. Methodologically, this study used primary data from 9 expert interviews in both countries and secondary data from prior literature, which were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The results identified five main political strategies used by the gambling industry: (1) Information, through lobbying politicians; (2) Constituency Building, through forming an alliance with interest groups; (3) Policy Substitution, through promoting alternative policies and self-regulation; (4) Legal Infringements; and (5) Regulatory Redundancy. The study concluded that the involvement of the gambling industry in policy-making influenced the change of the state online monopoly into a licensing system in Sweden in 2019 and is weakening the state online monopoly in Finland.

The Rise of Online and Sports Betting in Ghana: Observations, Driving Factors, and Societal Implications. Un article de la revue Critical Gambling Studies (Critical Directions in Early-Career Gambling Studies) diffusée par la plateforme Érudit.

On the 11th and 12th of February 2023, Concordia University hosted the second edition of the GameBling Game Jam, one year after the successful first edition (Hoebanx et al., 2023).A game jam is an event during which individuals or teams attempt to create a game from scratch in a limited amount of time.A detailed explanation of game jams and a summary of the first edition can be found in Hoebanx et al. (2023).In Hoebanx et al. (2023), we argued that game jams can be used as an innovative research method "that can help uncover new ways to think about and question social science concepts."We put that idea to the test again in the second edition, with an added twist: we held a writing workshop after the event to which all jam participants were invited.Of the 16 original participants, 9 participated in the writing workshop.The primary goal was to encourage jam participants to reflect on and write about their experiences as game designers, aiming to gain insights into their thinking and design processes-something that last year's blog post was not able to achieve (Hoebanx et al., 2023).

This non-peer reviewed entry is published as part of the Critical Gambling Studies Blog. Visit an interactive version of this blog at: https://criticalgamblingstudies.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-gamification-ofresponsible.html

While it is well recognized that gambling behaviours are shaped by the contexts in which they occur, less research has investigated the relationship between poker and substance use (i.e., alcohol and other drugs). The current study explores poker players’ perceptions of the relationship between substance use and gambling. This qualitative descriptive study is a secondary data analysis of 25 interviews with poker players conducted as part of a broader prospective cohort project. From the thematic analysis, players described how specific contextual factors, such as social setting and location (e.g., bars, casinos) influenced their substance use. Poker players reported a relationship between substance use and gambling practices. However, players differed greatly in their decisions about whether, and how much, to use alcohol and other drugs, with individuals’ choices depending heavily on contexts (e.g., more inclined to partake when alcohol was available) and motivations (e.g., remaining sober to remain sharp and not impair their intellectual capacity). For those players who considered poker earnings to be their main source of income, increased use of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis were reported as a way of dealing with stress, anxiety and a lack of motivation related to their play.

Much has been written recently in the popular press about the rise of sports gambling, historical horse racing or instant racing (HHR), and esports. However, despite this, some note an overall decline in the popularity of gambling and gaming in general as horse racing (pari-mutuel) wagering has declined dramatically over the decades and as casino and lottery revenues have fallen slightly since before the Great Recession. This exploratory research note examines the trends in US gambling over the last several decades and explores whether the new forms of gambling will stem and reverse overall gambling stagnation in the United States. Despite reports of new gambling outlet successes, it appears that sports gambling, HHR, and esports have not done much to stop the overall fall in gambling revenues. This is probably due to stagnant disposable personal income growth.

Book Review: Ng, Janet. (2019). Dreamworld of Casino Capitalism: Macao’s Society, Literature, and Culture. Cambria Press. 257 pp. ISBN: 9781621964278