A chronotype reflects a person’s natural inclination to sleep at a certain time. Some people are “morning-types” who usually go to sleep and wake up early in the day. Some people are “evening-types” who usually go to sleep and wake up late in the day. The purpose of this study was to examine the link between morningness-eveningness preference and problem gambling severity, and if this link was explained by decision-making styles. A total of 374 respondents completed a survey. Respondents were university students or friends and relatives of university students and staff.
The findings showed a strong link between eveningness and severity of problem gambling. Morningness seemed to be a protective factor. The link between eveningness and gambling severity was stronger for men than for women. Respondents with problem gambling preferred to gamble in the evening or at night. Respondents who were morning-types engaged in more rational decision-making. In turn, they were less likely to show problematic gambling behaviour. Respondents who were evening-types preferred avoidant decision-making style. This increased their risk of problematic gambling behaviour.
