Problem gambling and economic crime in the workplace
Short description
This exploratory study focus on embezzlement and similar crimes committed by problem gamblers in the workplace. The project is financed by the Public Health Agency of Sweden.
Background and research aims
This exploratory study focuses on embezzlement and similar crimes committed by problem gamblers in the workplace in Sweden. Gambling-related employee embezzlement is a seldom-studied aspect of problem gambling that merits investigation because its harms can be particularly severe and long-lasting, affecting not only the gambler but also significant others, the employer, and society more generally. The problem gambler suffers from both economic and psychological distress – typically, gambling-driven embezzlement eventually leads to loss of employment, difficulties finding new work, and often a criminal sentence and incarceration.
Methods
The study uses multi-modal methodology, including an examination of newspaper articles, qualitative interviews with problem gamblers who have embezzled, interviews with professionals in crime and problem gambling prevention, and gathering of information from problem gambling counsellors and therapists.
