Research on the Connection Between Gambling and Crime in Hungary – The Third SOGS Prison Research in a 10-Year Perspective

Abstract

In our research we examined the connection between gambling and crime with 175 prisoners before going to prison. The main topics were gaming habits and demographic attitudes. For our research we used tests to find out the right answer. The actual habits are based on the results of the previous test between 2009 and 2014. We used the South Oaks Gambling Screen test to find out these unhealthy habits and we added specific questions as well. We have to say that the number of problematic gamblers has reduced in the past years in the Hungarian penitentiary institutions, but the dilemma is still essential. Only 11% of the respondents said that reason for the prison sentence is in connection with gambling but in terms of the gambling addicts this number is 28%.