Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between positive gambling attitudes and gambling curiosity in relation to the impact of adolescents' stock and coin investment experiences on illegal gambling behavior and gambling problems. For this purpose, a total of 2,150 data were collected from a panel of adolescents through an online survey. Using the collected data, descriptive statistics and correlational analysis were conducted on all variables, and in parallel a multiple mediation model test was conducted to examine whether positive gambling attitudes and gambling curiosity mediate the relationship between stock and coin investment experience and illegal gambling behaviour and problem gambling. The results showed that adolescents' stock and coin investment experience was significantly positively related to illegal gambling behaviour, problem gambling, positive gambling attitudes and gambling curiosity. Parallel multiple mediation model analysis using Hayes' PROCESS Macro revealed that positive gambling attitudes and gambling curiosity mediated the relationship between stock/coin investment experience and illegal gambling behaviour and gambling problems. Among the mediating pathways, gambling curiosity was shown to have a stronger indirect effect than positive gambling attitudes. Based on these findings, practical and policy measures to respond to problem gambling among adolescents are discussed.