Hungry Ghosts Eat Casino Chips: Associations between Dispositional Greed and Gambling

Dispositional greed is characterized as the insatiable desire for more. Although greed may be a driving force for wealth accumulation, it can also relate to increased financial difficulties and risk-taking. Across two studies in different countries, The Netherlands (Study 1, N = 1,118) and England, Study 2, N = 4,855), we tested the degree to which dispositional greed was associated with gambling outcomes. Greedy individuals reported greater gambling participation and more negative gambling-related consequences. Moreover, Study 2 found that greed was associated with maladaptive gambling-related cognitions (e.g., cognitive distortions, positive expectations, and the perceived inability to stop) beyond that explained by trait motor impulsiveness. In addition, dispositionally greedy individuals reported being more focused on financial motivations for gambling, having greater confidence in winning, and less concern with realized losses. The current study demonstrates links between dispositional greed and risk-taking in a real-world context, highlighting biased decision-making cognitions for greedy individuals.