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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Frontiers in Psychiatry

Financially focused self-concept and problem lottery gambling: the chain mediating role of gambling-related luck beliefs and lottery gambling passion

  • Yue Hu1
  • Lian Liu2
  • Caimei Bai3
  • Zheng Gan4
  • Xiaolong Liu1
4 affiliations
  1. 1Key Laboratory of Competitive Sport Psychological and Physiological Regulation, School of Education and Psychology, Tianjin University of Sport
  2. 2School of Physical Education, Huzhou Normal University
  3. 3College of Physical Education, School of Sports and Health, Shaanxi Xueqian Normal University
  4. 4Department of Physical Education & Sport , Central China Normal University
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Abstract

Background: China operates the world’s largest lottery market, yet the psychological mechanisms linking individual dispositions to problem lottery gambling remain insufficiently understood, particularly among mainland Chinese samples. Financially focused self-concept—the tendency to base self-worth on financial success—has been linked to gambling problems. However, the pathways linking it to problem lottery gambling have received little empirical attention. This study aimed to investigate the association between financially focused self-concept and problem lottery gambling among Chinese lottery gamblers, and the mediating roles of gambling-related luck beliefs and lottery gambling passion within this association.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Chinese lottery gamblers recruited from land-based retail outlets. A total of 879 participants completed measures of financially focused self-concept, gambling-related luck beliefs, lottery gambling passion, and problem lottery gambling. Structural equation modelling and bias-corrected bootstrapping with 5,000 resamples were used to test the proposed mediation model.

Results: Correlation analyses showed that financially focused self-concept was positively correlated with gambling-related luck beliefs, obsessive passion, harmonious passion, and problem lottery gambling ( p < 0.001). Financially focused self-concept showed a nonsignificant positive association with problem lottery gambling after accounting for the mediating variables ( β = 0.03, p = 0.40). The specific indirect associations through gambling-related luck beliefs ( β = 0.034, 95% CI [0.009, 0.061]), obsessive passion ( β = 0.065, 95% CI [0.036, 0.097]), and harmonious passion ( β = −0.010, 95% CI [−0.021, −0.001]) were all significant. The serial indirect associations via gambling-related luck beliefs and obsessive passion ( β = 0.034, 95% CI [0.018, 0.054]) and via gambling-related luck beliefs and harmonious passion ( β = −0.010, 95% CI [−0.019, −0.004]) were also significant.

Conclusion: Financially focused self-concept is associated with problem lottery gambling through gambling-related luck beliefs, obsessive passion, and harmonious passion. The findings are consistent with the Pathways Model and its recent extension. They also highlight the importance of addressing luck beliefs and internalisation processes in prevention efforts targeting financially focused lottery consumers.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{hu2026financially,
  title = {{Financially focused self-concept and problem lottery gambling: the chain mediating role of gambling-related luck beliefs and lottery gambling passion}},
  author = {Yue Hu and Lian Liu and Caimei Bai and Zheng Gan and Xiaolong Liu},
  journal = {Frontiers in Psychiatry},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1978508},
  url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1978508/full},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Financially focused self-concept and problem lottery gambling: the chain mediating role of gambling-related luck beliefs and lottery gambling passion
AU  - Yue Hu
AU  - Lian Liu
AU  - Caimei Bai
AU  - Zheng Gan
AU  - Xiaolong Liu
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/14
JO  - Frontiers in Psychiatry
DO  - 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1978508
UR  - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1978508/full
AB  - Background: China operates the world’s largest lottery market, yet the psychological mechanisms linking individual dispositions to problem lottery gambling remain insufficiently understood, particularly among mainland Chinese samples. Financially focused self-concept—the tendency to base self-worth on financial success—has been linked to gambling problems. However, the pathways linking it to problem lottery gambling have received little empirical attention. This study aimed to investigate the association between financially focused self-concept and problem lottery gambling among Chinese lottery gamblers, and the mediating roles of gambling-related luck beliefs and lottery gambling passion within this association.  Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Chinese lottery gamblers recruited from land-based retail outlets. A total of 879 participants completed measures of financially focused self-concept, gambling-related luck beliefs, lottery gambling passion, and problem lottery gambling. Structural equation modelling and bias-corrected bootstrapping with 5,000 resamples were used to test the proposed mediation model.  Results: Correlation analyses showed that financially focused self-concept was positively correlated with gambling-related luck beliefs, obsessive passion, harmonious passion, and problem lottery gambling ( p < 0.001). Financially focused self-concept showed a nonsignificant positive association with problem lottery gambling after accounting for the mediating variables ( β = 0.03, p = 0.40). The specific indirect associations through gambling-related luck beliefs ( β = 0.034, 95% CI [0.009, 0.061]), obsessive passion ( β = 0.065, 95% CI [0.036, 0.097]), and harmonious passion ( β = −0.010, 95% CI [−0.021, −0.001]) were all significant. The serial indirect associations via gambling-related luck beliefs and obsessive passion ( β = 0.034, 95% CI [0.018, 0.054]) and via gambling-related luck beliefs and harmonious passion ( β = −0.010, 95% CI [−0.019, −0.004]) were also significant.  Conclusion: Financially focused self-concept is associated with problem lottery gambling through gambling-related luck beliefs, obsessive passion, and harmonious passion. The findings are consistent with the Pathways Model and its recent extension. They also highlight the importance of addressing luck beliefs and internalisation processes in prevention efforts targeting financially focused lottery consumers.
SN  - 1664-0640
ER  -