It is well established that depression and problem gambling often occur together. But it is not clear how depression influences problem gambling. In this study, the researchers tested if gambling to escape or gambling for excitement helped explain the relationship between depression and problem gambling. The researchers also tested if the relationship between depression and problem gambling was influenced by gambling to escape negative emotions or gambling for excitement. The researchers surveyed 282 Australian adults who gambled at least once per month.
Gambling to escape or for excitement did not help explain the relationship between depression and gambling. The relationship between depression and problem gambling was also not influenced by levels of gambling for excitement. But high and average levels of gambling to escape influenced the relationship between problem gambling and depression. Among people who gambled to escape, those with more symptoms of depression had more severe problem gambling. These results suggest that people who are experiencing depression and who gamble to escape may be at increased risk of problem gambling.
