In this study, the researchers looked at whether impulsivity leads to risky betting behaviour and more severe gambling disorder over time among people who gamble online on sports . Impulsivity was defined as impulsive choice, impulsive action, and impulsive personality traits. The researchers recruited 954 people who gambled on sports registered with Tipico, an online sports betting provider. Participants were located in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Of those, 427 completed three online surveys, each three months apart, between October 2023 and June 2024.
Making more impulsive choices predicted more severe gambling disorder over time. Some impulsive personality traits also predicted more severe gambling disorder over time. However, impulsive action was not associated with gambling disorder severity. Moreover, impulsivity was not associated with risky betting behaviour, nor did risky betting behaviour explain the relationship between impulsivity and gambling disorder.
