Gaming disorder involves persistent and excessive gaming. The financial effects of overspending on video gaming (through buying games, making in-game purchases, and betting on video game outcomes) are less researched than the emotional, social, and physical effects. Older adults may be more vulnerable to the financial harm of gaming disorder, given their limited income.
The current study explored the relationship between gaming disorder and overspending across different age groups. Younger participants were more likely to report overspending compared to older participants. While older people aged 66 and above were least likely to overspend on gaming, a small but noteworthy proportion did (8.6% on buying games, 7.2% on making in-game purchases, and 3.6% on betting on video game outcomes). Participants who gamed for three or more hours in a single session were more likely to report overspending on gaming compared to those who played for shorter sessions. Participants at risk of gaming disorder were more likely to overspend compared to those who were not at risk. There were no gender differences in overspending on gaming.
