People with problem gambling often experience negative financial consequences. They may get loans and not be able to pay them back. Thus, a failure to repay loans may provide a way to detect problem gambling. In this study, the researcher examined a large dataset involving 20,750 Swedish adults who had taken out at least one loan from a financial institution. The aim was to explore if specific gambling-related transactions and patterns would predict a failure to pay back loans. The results revealed that making deposits to a gambling account or having withdrawals made by a gambling operator did not predict failure to repay loans. A short-term but intense gambling pattern was a risk factor. Specifically, people who made repeated gambling deposits within a short period of time were more likely to default on their loans. Such a pattern might be a sign of loss of control over gambling and contribute to a failure to pay back loans.
