Behind the glitz and glamour: a mixed-methods analysis of the psychological dynamics of casino gambling

Abstract Casino gambling is a widespread activity that provides entertainment and the allure of winning, yet it often raises concerns about its potential to foster compulsive behaviors and negatively impact individual well-being. Despite its popularity, limited research has explored the interplay between resilience and gambling behaviors in the specific context of casino gambling. This study investigates the correlation between gambling frequency, compulsive gambling behavior, and resilience among gamblers traveling from Türkiye to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). It also explores gamblers’ subjective experiences with casinos. A mixed-methods explanatory sequential design design was employed, combining quantitative and qualitative research approaches. In the quantitative phase, purposive sampling was used to select 368 gamblers aged ≥ 25 (M age = 34.25, SD = 5.87) who had visited the TRNC at least twice in the past year. Three validated scales measured gambling behaviors, resilience, and compulsivity, and analyses included correlational and moderation impact analyses. In the qualitative phase, interviews with 10 gamblers were conducted using a phenomenological design and analyzed thematically. Quantitative findings indicate a significant positive correlation between resilience and compulsive gambling behavior. Resilience also moderates the correlations between compulsive gambling behavior and gambling frequency. The qualitative findings identified themes related to gambling habits and emotions, preferences for games, perceptions of luxury and quality in casinos, perceived impacts on personal relationships and well-being, and stretegies to control gambling. These findings emphasize the intricate dynamics between resilience, gambling habits, and perceptions, contributing to the broader literature on casino gambling behaviors and interventions.