Problem Gambling, Depression, Anxiety and Associated Demographics: Findings and Ethical Implications

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the role of socio-demographic factors in the context of problem gambling. Four hundred and thirty-eight male individuals participated in the research, with an average age of 36.54. Participants completed online questionnaires assessing problem gambling, anxiety, depression, and socio-demographic variables. The results highlighted differences based on the level of education concerning problematic involvement in gambling, with individuals with lower levels of education being more susceptible to develop problem gambling. Furthermore, our findings reveal that age moderates the relationship between anxiety and problem gambling, as well as the relationship between depression and problem gambling, with the association being stronger at higher ages. Based on this pattern of results, we discuss the ethical considerations that must be taken into account in the context of problem gambling, and the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.