Chasing the dream : the culture of 4D and Toto in Singapore.

Abstract

This research explores the links between the state, Singapore residents and the ‘culture’ of 4-Digit and Toto gambling in Singapore. Drawing from qualitative interviews with Singapore residents and participant observation in various Singapore Pools betting outlets, I explored the ways in which Singapore residents perceive 4D and Toto gambling as a part of their everyday lives. My findings revealed that 4D and Toto gambling is increasingly seen as a form of leisure activity and its appeal cuts across age, class and ethnic lines. The aims of this exploratory study are three-fold: (1) to examine that role of the state in organizing gambling as an industry, (2) offer an account of the social meanings and motivations behind 4D and Toto gambling and (3) explore the sociological paradox of the coexistence of formal rationality and ideas about chance and ‘luck’ in sustaining gambling as an industry and as a part of everyday life.