"Casinos in Las Vegas are at the top”: Perceptions of Casino Tourism among Israeli Problem Gamblers Abroad

Session Title

Casino Industry: Social & Community Impact

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation

Start Date

27-5-2026 12:00 AM

Abstract

The global casino industry operates in many countries and attracts both international and domestic visitors. Israel remains among the few nations that prohibit legal casinos; consequently, many Israelis travel abroad to gamble. The present study explores the perceptions, experiences, and gambling practices of Israeli tourists identified as problem gamblers in international casino settings. Methods: Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with twelve Israeli men who travel abroad to gamble and who exhibit severe (n = 8) or moderate (n = 4) gambling behaviors. Results: Four themes identified from the interviews: (a) “Las Vegas is at the top, while Taba-Sinai is at the bottom”: Social hierarchies of Casino destinations abroad; (b) “From problem gambler to regular tourist and player”: Normalization of problematic gambling behavior in Casinos abroad. (c) “I feel like Al Pacino”: Casinos as a stage for idealized masculine performance. (d) The Casino as an ambivalent space: Positive and negative experiences and “responsible gambling” self- regulation. Conclusions: For Israeli problem gamblers, foreign casinos function as normalized yet ambivalent spaces that enable alternative identities and legitimate gambling as leisure, highlighting the need for cross-border policy, prevention, and responsible gambling responses.

Author Bios

Hagit Bonny-Noach, Head of the Department of Criminology, Ariel University & Head of the Addiction Research Lab. She is a board member of the Israeli Society of Addiction Medicine (ILSAM) and holds a PhD in Sociology and Anthropology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. From 1996 to 2018, she served as a consultant for the Israel Anti-Drug Authority (IADA). Until 2016, she led the Department for Youth Care Work at Beit Berl Academic College.She also served as a board member of the INADO

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May 27th, 12:00 AM

"Casinos in Las Vegas are at the top”: Perceptions of Casino Tourism among Israeli Problem Gamblers Abroad

The global casino industry operates in many countries and attracts both international and domestic visitors. Israel remains among the few nations that prohibit legal casinos; consequently, many Israelis travel abroad to gamble. The present study explores the perceptions, experiences, and gambling practices of Israeli tourists identified as problem gamblers in international casino settings. Methods: Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with twelve Israeli men who travel abroad to gamble and who exhibit severe (n = 8) or moderate (n = 4) gambling behaviors. Results: Four themes identified from the interviews: (a) “Las Vegas is at the top, while Taba-Sinai is at the bottom”: Social hierarchies of Casino destinations abroad; (b) “From problem gambler to regular tourist and player”: Normalization of problematic gambling behavior in Casinos abroad. (c) “I feel like Al Pacino”: Casinos as a stage for idealized masculine performance. (d) The Casino as an ambivalent space: Positive and negative experiences and “responsible gambling” self- regulation. Conclusions: For Israeli problem gamblers, foreign casinos function as normalized yet ambivalent spaces that enable alternative identities and legitimate gambling as leisure, highlighting the need for cross-border policy, prevention, and responsible gambling responses.