Game related over-spending across age groups and its association with gaming disorder

IF 3.6 2区医学 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL

Addictive behaviors Pub Date : 2025-09-27 DOI:10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108490

Janni Leung , Benjamin Johnson , John B. Saunders , Daniel Stjepanovic , Varun Yazad Patel , Caitlin McClure-Thomas , Jason P. Connor , Gary Chung Kai Chan

{"title":"Game related over-spending across age groups and its association with gaming disorder","authors":"Janni Leung , Benjamin Johnson , John B. Saunders , Daniel Stjepanovic , Varun Yazad Patel , Caitlin McClure-Thomas , Jason P. Connor , Gary Chung Kai Chan","doi":"10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108490","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Gaming disorder is a new addictive disorder under the ICD-11. Most of recent research focuses on young people and its impact on mental and physical health. However, it can also have negative financial impacts as in-game microtransaction and esport betting becoming more common, and this impact could be particularly problematic for older people. This study estimates the association between gaming disorder and game-related overspending.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Data were from the 2022 International Gaming Study (IGS22), a multi-country cross sectional survey of 955 individuals aged 18–94 (M = 46; SD = 16; 45 % Male). We estimated the proportion of participants who reported game-related overspending and modelled its association with ICD-11 Gaming Disorder using logistic regression.</div></div><div><h3>Result</h3><div>In general, a much smaller but non-negligible proportion of older people (66 years old + ) reported various type of game-related overspending (4 – 9 %) compared to younger age groups. Individuals who are at risk of gaming disorder were at six to nine times higher odds of reporting various type of gaming-related overspending.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study reveals a novel association between gaming disorder and overspending on purchasing games, in-game purchases, and esports betting across various age groups. While young individuals were more likely to report overspending, some older adults were also affected. As the measure reflects self-reported overspending, further research is needed to assess whether this translates into actual financial hardship.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7155,"journal":{"name":"Addictive behaviors","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 108490"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Addictive behaviors","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306460325002515","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Gaming disorder is a new addictive disorder under the ICD-11. Most of recent research focuses on young people and its impact on mental and physical health. However, it can also have negative financial impacts as in-game microtransaction and esport betting becoming more common, and this impact could be particularly problematic for older people. This study estimates the association between gaming disorder and game-related overspending.

Method

Data were from the 2022 International Gaming Study (IGS22), a multi-country cross sectional survey of 955 individuals aged 18–94 (M = 46; SD = 16; 45 % Male). We estimated the proportion of participants who reported game-related overspending and modelled its association with ICD-11 Gaming Disorder using logistic regression.

Result

In general, a much smaller but non-negligible proportion of older people (66 years old + ) reported various type of game-related overspending (4 – 9 %) compared to younger age groups. Individuals who are at risk of gaming disorder were at six to nine times higher odds of reporting various type of gaming-related overspending.

Conclusion

This study reveals a novel association between gaming disorder and overspending on purchasing games, in-game purchases, and esports betting across various age groups. While young individuals were more likely to report overspending, some older adults were also affected. As the measure reflects self-reported overspending, further research is needed to assess whether this translates into actual financial hardship.

查看原文本刊更多论文

不同年龄组的游戏相关过度消费及其与游戏障碍的关系

背景：游戏障碍是ICD-11下的一种新的成瘾障碍。最近的大多数研究都集中在年轻人及其对身心健康的影响上。然而，随着游戏中的微交易和电子竞技博彩变得越来越普遍，它也会对财务产生负面影响，这种影响对老年人来说尤其严重。这项研究估计了游戏障碍和游戏相关的过度消费之间的联系。方法：数据来自2022年国际游戏研究（IGS22），这是一项对955名年龄在18-94岁之间的人进行的多国横断面调查（M = 46; SD = 16； 45%男性）。我们估计了报告与游戏相关的过度消费的参与者比例，并使用逻辑回归建模了其与ICD-11游戏障碍的关联。结果：总体而言，与年轻群体相比，老年人（66岁以上）的游戏过度消费比例要小得多（4 - 9%）。有游戏障碍风险的人报告各种类型的游戏相关超支的几率要高出6到9倍。结论：这项研究揭示了游戏障碍与购买游戏、游戏内购买和电子竞技赌博的过度支出之间的新联系。虽然年轻人更有可能报告超支，但一些老年人也受到影响。由于该指标反映的是自我报告的过度支出，因此需要进一步研究来评估这是否会转化为实际的经济困难。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Addictive behaviors 医学-药物滥用

CiteScore

8.40

自引率

4.50%

发文量

283

审稿时长

46 days

期刊介绍： Addictive Behaviors is an international peer-reviewed journal publishing high quality human research on addictive behaviors and disorders since 1975. The journal accepts submissions of full-length papers and short communications on substance-related addictions such as the abuse of alcohol, drugs and nicotine, and behavioral addictions involving gambling and technology. We primarily publish behavioral and psychosocial research but our articles span the fields of psychology, sociology, psychiatry, epidemiology, social policy, medicine, pharmacology and neuroscience. While theoretical orientations are diverse, the emphasis of the journal is primarily empirical. That is, sound experimental design combined with valid, reliable assessment and evaluation procedures are a requisite for acceptance. However, innovative and empirically oriented case studies that might encourage new lines of inquiry are accepted as well. Studies that clearly contribute to current knowledge of etiology, prevention, social policy or treatment are given priority. Scholarly commentaries on topical issues, systematic reviews, and mini reviews are encouraged. We especially welcome multimedia papers that incorporate video or audio components to better display methodology or findings. Studies can also be submitted to Addictive Behaviors? companion title, the open access journal Addictive Behaviors Reports, which has a particular interest in ''non-traditional'', innovative and empirically-oriented research such as negative/null data papers, replication studies, case reports on novel treatments, and cross-cultural research.