Gambling Behavior and Subjective Well-Being
Dusanee Kesavayuth1, Prompong Shangkhum2, Vasileios Zikos3
1Faculty of Economics, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phayathai Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand. kesavayuth.d@chula.ac.th.
Journal of Gambling Studies
|December 1, 2025
Summary
Gambling can negatively impact subjective well-being, especially for moderate-risk and problem gamblers. Research shows these behaviors are linked to lower life satisfaction and highlight the need for harm reduction strategies.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Economics
- Public Health
Background:
- Gambling can offer utility but may cause harm.
- Negative consequences include financial hardship and relationship issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between gambling behaviors and subjective well-being.
- To determine if negative effects of gambling outweigh benefits for moderate-risk and problem gamblers.
Main Methods:
- Utilized nationally representative longitudinal data from Australia.
- Employed sensitivity analyses including omitted variable bias, heteroskedasticity-based identification, and propensity score matching.
Main Results:
- Moderate-risk and problem gambling are significantly associated with lower subjective well-being.
- Findings remained consistent across various statistical tests.
Conclusions:
- Problematic gambling has a detrimental effect on overall life satisfaction.
- Strategies to reduce gambling harms are crucial for improving well-being.
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