Harmonious and obsessive gambling passion: a comparative analysis of non-problem to problem gamblers

While researchers have investigated the link between gambling and passion, there is currently a paucity of literature detailing the precise relationship between harmonious and obsessive passion across the full spectrum of this behavior. The current study aimed to investigate the association between these passion constructs and empirically established levels of gambling severity: non-problem, low-risk, moderately at-risk, and problem gamblers. A total of (n = 630) gamblers aged between 18 and 73 (Mage = 38.56, SDage = 11.52) recruited via the general community and through Prolific.co, completed an online survey consisting of the Gambling Passion Scale (GPS), Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) and the Short-Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (S-MCSDS). Partial correlations revealed a significant weak negative correlation between harmonious passion and PGSI scores, and a strong positive partial correlation between obsessive passion and PGSI scores. Results from one-way ANOVAs showed that problem gamblers scored significantly higher on both harmonious and obsessive passion compared to the non-problem, low-risk and moderately at-risk gamblers. Findings from the current study provide insights into the role of passion in problem gambling and suggest that both may be salient toward an individual’s gambling behavior. Given these results, clinicians should consider focusing on the construct of passion when assessing and classifying a gambler’s risk profile. Focusing on passion may also elucidate a more holistic understanding of individuals’ perception of their own gambling behavior, which, in turn, could facilitate the development of more refined, personalized intervention strategies.