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How Does Religiosity Influence Gambling? A Cross-Cultural Study Between Portuguese and English Youth
Filipa Calado1,2, Mike Vernon3, Filip Nuyens3
1Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK. filipa.dacostaricocalado@ntu.ac.uk.
Journal of Gambling Studies
|December 9, 2023
Summary
Religion may protect young people from gambling problems. Higher religiosity correlated with less gambling, though cognitive distortions like illusion of control and interpretative bias played mediating roles in different cultural contexts.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Religion is recognized for its protective influence on various risky behaviors in youth.
- The specific impact of religion on adolescent and young adult gambling, particularly problem gambling, remains under-researched.
- Religious moral beliefs may deter gambling, but some religious views could influence cognitive distortions related to chance and luck, potentially increasing participation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the multifaceted effects of religion on gambling behavior in adolescents and young adults.
- To compare these effects across two distinct cultural contexts: Portugal and England, which differ in religious affiliations.
- To explore the mediating roles of cognitive distortions in the relationship between religiosity and gambling behavior.
Main Methods:
- An online survey was administered to a sample of 725 adolescents and young adults (312 Portuguese, 413 English).
- Data collected included measures of religiosity, gambling engagement, problem gambling severity, and cognitive distortions.
- Mediation analyses were employed to examine the indirect effects of religiosity on problem gambling through cognitive distortions.
Main Results:
- Portuguese youth reported higher levels of religiosity compared to English youth.
- Religiosity was significantly associated with lower gambling engagement in both Portuguese and English samples.
- Illusion of control mediated the religiosity-problem gambling link in Portugal, while interpretative bias mediated it in England.
Conclusions:
- Religion appears to exert a protective effect against gambling behaviors among young people.
- The specific cognitive distortions mediating this relationship differ across cultural contexts.
- Further research is warranted to fully elucidate the complex interplay between religion, cognitive distortions, and gambling behavior in diverse populations.
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