One might not predict say di closure of a Chinatown gathering place go send patrons to di bright lights and loud machines of a local casino. But one researcher say di decline of social spaces fit drive elderly people to gambling places.
More people dey seek recovery from a habit wey fit destroy homes and relationships. Na when gambling become problem. Di backstory: Di place dey welcoming, di food and drinks dey good, and all dem need to do to reach there na board bus right for di neighborhood.
For Asian culture, exposure to gambling dey start from young age. Dr. Florence Chee, associate professor of digital communication at Loyola University, say for her, “E really start from my childhood and how I grow up. I go spend plenty summers going to Reno and Vegas. My parents go dey for casinos.” Dr. Florence Chee write “The Digital Game Culture in Korea, The Social At Play.” She dey study gambling and when e become problem. She say na “di kind where you dey ashamed or if you dey hide your gambling activity from friends and loved ones.”
Di buses dey pick up for Chinatown and take gamblers to casinos for Indiana or di suburbs. Soon Chicago go get permanent casino, scheduled to open for 2027. Di temporary casino don dey open for River North since 2023. But gambling never far away when di casino dey right for your pocket.
Online gambling fit be di most tantalizing, di most secretive, and most risky. AARP report say seniors dey lose dem retirement savings to online gaming. Di attractiveness of gambling fit be rooted for Asian American superstitions about numbers and luck. E also be offensive stereotype. Rates of problem gambling dey higher for Asian American communities and some don lose everything.
“As someone wey get parents wey don gamble and spend too much, our family pay hefty price for dat activity… I fit speak to my own experience where we don lose homes and family friendships and e dey devastating. Dat part of wetin bring me to dis work, and hopefully for my own advocacy and outreach I fit prevent dat from happening to others,” Dr. Chee say. Asian Americans dey reluctant to talk about problem gambling, to admit shame or humiliation. Dr. Chee hope to break dat stereotype too.
