ABSTRACT
To what extent and in which ways are cultural products of gambling distinctive relative to financial products and games?
This chapter uses the concept of finopower to explore what is at stake in making and policing cultural distinctions between gambling and non-gambling products in neoliberal societies. The scope and variety of gambling products has increased exponentially with deregulation. New kinds of lottery products have been developed, the electronic gaming machine industry has become a leading player in entertainment products, and wagering products have expanded from sports and racing to encompass political, economic, and entertainment “events.” In addition, a suite of products has emerged on the borderlands that previously separated gambling from financial and recreational goods and services. I examine public calls to reclassify certain kinds of financial products as gambling and the integration of “free” casino games into the everyday forms of play offered by social networking sites as well as debates about gambling devices within videogames.
