More Frequent Cannabis Use Linked to More Gambling Behavior
A study found that people who use cannabis more frequently also tend to gamble more, suggesting overlapping risk patterns.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Higher frequency of cannabis use was associated with greater gambling involvement, pointing to shared behavioral or neurobiological risk factors between the two behaviors.
Key Numbers
Specific sample size and effect sizes available in full text.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional analysis examining the relationship between cannabis use frequency and gambling behavior in a study population.
Why This Research Matters
Understanding the overlap between cannabis use and gambling may help identify individuals at risk for multiple addictive behaviors and inform targeted interventions.
The Bigger Picture
Both cannabis use and gambling activate reward pathways in the brain. Research increasingly recognizes that substance use and behavioral addictions may share common vulnerability factors.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot establish whether cannabis use drives gambling or vice versa. Confounding factors like impulsivity or socioeconomic status may explain the association.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does cannabis use directly increase gambling risk, or do shared personality traits drive both?
- ?Would reducing cannabis use also reduce gambling behavior?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Higher cannabis use frequency associated with more gambling behavior
- Evidence Grade:
- Cross-sectional design limits ability to determine causation between cannabis use and gambling.
- Study Age:
- 2025 study with current relevance to dual addiction research.
- Original Title:
- Relation of Cannabis Use Frequency and Gambling Behavior in Individuals Who Gamble Under the Influence of Cannabis.
- Published In:
- Journal of gambling studies, 41(2), 877-889 (2025)
- Authors:
- McPhail, Abby, Whelan, James P, Ginley, Meredith K, Pfund, Rory A
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07107
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis make people gamble more?
This study found an association between more frequent cannabis use and more gambling, but the cross-sectional design means it cannot determine if one causes the other.
Why might cannabis use and gambling be related?
Both behaviors involve the brain's reward system. Shared traits like impulsivity and sensation-seeking may make some people more prone to both.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07107APA
McPhail, Abby; Whelan, James P; Ginley, Meredith K; Pfund, Rory A. (2025). Relation of Cannabis Use Frequency and Gambling Behavior in Individuals Who Gamble Under the Influence of Cannabis.. Journal of gambling studies, 41(2), 877-889. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-025-10381-3
MLA
McPhail, Abby, et al. "Relation of Cannabis Use Frequency and Gambling Behavior in Individuals Who Gamble Under the Influence of Cannabis.." Journal of gambling studies, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-025-10381-3
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Relation of Cannabis Use Frequency and Gambling Behavior in ..." RTHC-07107. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/mcphail-2025-relation-of-cannabis-use
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.