Relationship Between Gambling Disorder and Poverty
Relationship Between Gambling Disorder and Poverty

Summary/Abstract: Gambling disorder is recognized as a prevalent condition that diminishes individuals’ quality of life and frequently leads to severe economic, social, and psychological problems. Similarly, poverty represents a state in which individuals struggle to meet their basic needs and emerges as a consequence of social inequalities. This demonstrates that poverty and gambling disorder not only generate economic and psychosocial difficulties at the individual level but also constitute a significant public health concern with serious consequences for society as a whole. The relationship between gambling disorder and poverty has been widely investigated in the existing literature, focusing on their reciprocal interactions. Research has shown that as poverty increases within a society, gambling behavior and gambling disorder also rise; in turn, gambling disorder drives individuals into poverty, thereby perpetuating a vicious cycle. In this review, literature published between 1990 and 2025 was examined through PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Turkish National Thesis Center databases. The review addresses the effects of gambling disorder on poverty, the ways in which poverty shapes gambling behavior, and the multidimensional dynamics between these two phenomena. In this comprehensive analysis, no studies were found that directly addressed the relationship between types of poverty (absolute poverty, relative poverty, persistent poverty, etc.) and gambling disorder. Accordingly, in addition to existing findings, our study also discusses potential interactions between poverty types and gambling disorder.

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