Inside the gambler's mind

Inside the Gambler's Mind is a thoughtful overview of the various facets of gambling that are important to understand in order to appreciate the implications of the current proliferation of gambling in North America and abroad. Spanier includes pithy anecdotes from both sides of the Atlantic that explain the transformation of gambling from an illegal activity to a legal one. Spanier explores the experience of gambling from the viewpoint of a number of intriguing people: from the statistician who developed a system for beating blackjack dealers, to the aristocratic European gambler who liberalized British gaming law, and from the minister who founded Gamblers' Anonymous to the psychologist who pioneered problem gambling treatment programs. Inside the Gambler's Mind, originally published in 1987, pulls together loose threads in the world of gambling - including perspectives of gamblers, casino operators, academic researchers, and regulators - and provides a colorful look at the thrills, the action, and the intense emotional involvement that make up gambling.