The relationship between gambling disorder and suicide risk

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Author(s): Wang, Liaoyao ; Qin, Xinyi ; Lu, Yuejie ; Pan, Hejing ; Li, Xuanlin ; Luo, Le

Journal: Journal of Psychiatric Research

Year Published: 2026

Date Added: January 23, 2026

Gambling disorder (GD) has been linked to mental health concerns as well as suicide risk. Meta-analysis is used to pool together the results of multiple studies to draw conclusions about a topic. In this study, the researchers conducted a meta-analysis on the relationship between GD and suicide risk. A total of 14 studies were included in the meta-analysis.

The researchers found that experiencing GD was associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and suicide death. The significance of the association between GD and suicide risk varied according to the study design and region. Overall, this meta-analysis further highlights the link between GD and suicide risk.

Citation: Wang, L., Qin, X., Lu, Y., Pan, H., Li, X., & Luo, L. (2026). Gambling disorder and suicide risk: A meta-epidemiology study. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 192, 312–320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.10.067

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.10.067

Keywords: comorbidities ; gambling disorder ; suicide

Topics: Comorbidities ; Gambling and the Brain ; Suicide

Conceptual Framework Factors: Psychological - Comorbid Disorders ; Psychological Factors

Study Design: Meta-analysis

Study Population: A meta-analysis was conducted, including 14 studies reporting on the relationship between gambling disorder and suicide.

Sampling Procedure: The review included studies published up to March 31, 2025. The inclusion criteria were: (1) a cohort, case–control, or cross-sectional study; (2) participants were people experiencing GD; (3) people who did not gamble as control participants; (4) provided information on relative risks (RRs), hazard ratios (HRs), or odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). The exclusion criteria were: (1) meeting summaries, reviews, animal studies, and other meta-analyses; (2) publications with limited data on suicide; (3) any duplicate publications; and (4) any papers not written in English.

Study Funding:

Funding was provided by the Major Project of Hangzhou Health Science and Technology Plan.