Motivations for gambling and the choice between skill and luck gambling products: an exploratory study

We analyze differences in gambling motivations for skill and luck gamblers on the basis of a questionnaire distributed to a sample of university students. We find that the probability of playing skill rather than luck games is positively correlated to being a male, to the socialization motive and to having a planning attitude, that we use to define the kind of amusement experienced in gambling, while it is negatively correlated to the money motive, the perceived risk of losing social esteem, and age. Results are then applied to marketing strategies and public policies, with particular attention to the online environment.