The relationship between gambling addiction and deoression and the impact of online gambling behavior on this relationship

This study examines the relationship between gambling and depression. The research was conducted with 162 participants aged between 18 and 60. Data were collected using the Sociodemographic Information Form, the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The analyses were performed using the SPSS 22.0 software. The findings indicate that 34.4% of the participants who gambled were aged 36 and over, while 58.7% of the non-gamblers were aged between 18 and 25. The study found that 73.7% of male participants showed a higher interest in games of chance, and 55.6% of those who gambled were of middle-income status. It was also determined that the levels of depression among gamblers were higher compared to non-gamblers. The research revealed that while the rate of minimal depression among gamblers was low (24.2%), the rate of severe depression was significantly higher (46.5%). Furthermore, 52.5% of the gamblers were found to be at potential risk for pathological gambling. Another significant finding was a positive and moderate correlation between BDI scores and SOGS scores. The study also determined that gambling behavior predicted 33.3% of the variance in depression, while online gambling behavior accounted for 33.4% of the variance in depression. The findings suggest that gambling behavior is associated with certain demographic and psychological factors and that depression levels are higher among individuals who gamble. Keywords: Addiction, Depression, Gambling, Online Gambling