Toward a Weberian theory of gambling: The rationalization of legal gambling in Israel

Among the various sociological theories of gambling, only a handful are based on the ideas of Max Weber, and particularly on his thesis of rationalization. Using a Weberian framework, this study presents a socio-historical analysis of legal gambling in Israel. The analysis reveals that gambling in Israel has undergone a 'McDonaldization' process. As part of this process of 'McDonaldization', legal gambling organizations have adopted technological means aimed at making work methods faster and more efficient, enabling gamblers to plan their gambling in a calculated, non-random fashion. Together with 'McDonaldization', an instrumental discourse has been introduced into the public debate about gambling. The use of language that seeks to describe that which is good and ethical has been abandoned, replaced by a new vocabulary that emphasises the method and efficiency of the gambling operation.