The Effect of Financial Literacy Levels on Gambling Behaviour

Özlem Karadağ Ak; Ayşe Akyıldız; Mehmet Ak; Ayşe Elif Yazgan; Adalet Hazar; Şenol Babuşcu

doi:10.54535/rep.1837781

The Effect of Financial Literacy Levels on Gambling Behaviour

Abstract

This study examines how financial literacy relates to gambling behaviour in a Turkish adult sample. Using a cross sectional, face to face survey (N = 182), we assessed gambling severity (SOGS) and a multidimensional financial literacy scale (FL). Spearman analyses indicated a small, borderline inverse association between FL Total and SOGS (ρ = −0.140, p = .059), while the Fundamentals of Finance (FF) subscale showed a significant negative correlation (ρ = −0.188, p = .011). Education and income were associated with differences in outcomes: lower education and lower income groups tended to report higher SOGS and lower FL. Gender and age did not differ on SOGS or FL Total; contrasts appeared only for the Cryptocurrencies/Digital Assets (CDA) subscale (men and younger adults scored higher). In the sample, 40.1% had ever gambled and 2.7% met the pathological threshold. Overall, the correlational pattern points to a modest inverse co variation between core financial skills and gambling severity in this dataset; causal inferences are not warranted. Limitations include cross sectional design and self report measures.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Other Fields of Education (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Özlem Karadağ Ak
0000-0002-3761-081X
Türkiye

Ayşe Akyıldız
0000-0003-0684-6405
Türkiye

Mehmet Ak ^*
0000-0003-1771-5654
Türkiye

Ayşe Elif Yazgan
0000-0002-3065-7930
Türkiye

Adalet Hazar
0000-0002-1483-8360
Türkiye

Şenol Babuşcu
0000-0003-2870-6358
Türkiye

Publication Date

March 30, 2026

Submission Date

December 7, 2025

Acceptance Date

February 10, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 10

DOI

https://doi.org/10.54535/rep.1837781

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA48BB49LJ

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Karadağ Ak, Ö., Akyıldız, A., Ak, M., Yazgan, A. E., Hazar, A., & Babuşcu, Ş. (2026). The Effect of Financial Literacy Levels on Gambling Behaviour. Research on Education and Psychology, 10, 29-46. https://doi.org/10.54535/rep.1837781