Gambling and financial markets a comparison from a regulatory perspective

Gambling as Work: A Study of German Poker Players

The study addresses the question whether professional gamblers can be considered an occupational group from a sociological perspective. It combines survey data on poker players from the German state North Rhine-Westphalia with sociological theory in order to explain the oxymoron of professional gambling. The descriptive analysis of the survey data is supplemented by ego-centric network data of the poker players to analyze whether hobby and professional players maintain different forms of social relationships. Even when semiprofessionals and professional players are grouped together for the purpose of comparative analysis, they fulfill the criteria of occupational groups according to Salaman's major work on the topic. The study points to the fact that more research on occupational groups outside of the common fields is needed and bridges the gap between the literature on serious leisure and sociological research on professions and professionalization.

From the Flight Deck to the Trading Desk: Gamblified Investing Behavior in a Commercial Airline Pilot

The convergence of investing and gambling has accelerated with the proliferation of gamblified investment products characterized by high volatility. This case report examines a 42-year-old male commercial airline pilot who developed maladaptive engagement with high-risk financial instruments during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in significant financial losses. The patient's behavior, marked by an inability to adapt to market conditions and attempts to recoup losses through increasingly speculative investments, mirrors patterns observed in problem gambling. Notably, as demonstrated by proficient performance on the Big Three financial literacy assessment, the patient's elevated financial literacy level failed to serve as a protective factor against problematic speculative behavior. This case highlights potential risk factors in aviation professionals, including personality traits like high extraversion and elevated disposable income. Following cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the patient successfully transitioned to more conservative investment strategies, with improvements in psychometric scores. However, his posttreatment score on the National Opinion Research Center Diagnostic Screen for Gambling Problems, while improved, still indicated an at-risk status, necessitating ongoing monitoring. This case underscores the need for enhanced awareness, targeted screening protocols, and tailored interventions within occupational health settings, particularly in safety-critical professions like commercial aviation. Future research should focus on developing comprehensive screening instruments for the early identification of problematic financial behaviors, investigating the long-term efficacy of therapeutic modalities like CBT, and examining the prevalence and safety implications of high-risk financial behaviors among aviators.