Absence of Crime in African Migrants' Gambling and Policing in Finland

Abstract

Gambling is popular among African migrants in Finland. The Finnish lottery, for example, is highly patronised by many active African migrant gamblers and those who have gambled before. Many of these migrants also know that some types of gambling like poker and online games have been linked with criminality or organised crime, prostitution, and internet fraud. African migrants in Finland are generally suspicious of the police, but concerning gambling they do not see the need for any police involvement. There seems to be an absence of crime and policing in African migrants' gambling, which is a relevant finding in this study. But then, are the unemployed who engage in gambling committing a crime or would they be prone to criminal acts? This is an area worth researching deeper into. This chapter explores African migrant gamblers' ideas about their gambling and policing in Finland. The chapter is based on data from qualitative studies conducted in 2009 and in 2011-12 using interviews, conversations and questionnaires.