Can Expected Utility Theory Explain Gambling?

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 2002
Volume: 92
Issue: 3
Pages: 613-624

Score contribution per author:

4.022 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We investigate the ability of expected utility theory to account for simultaneous gambling and insurance. Contrary to a previous claim that borrowing and lending in perfect capital markets removes the demand for gambles, we show expected utility theory with nonconcave utility functions can explain gambling. When the rates of interest and time preference are equal, agents seek to gamble unless income falls in a finite set of values. When they differ, there is a range of incomes where gambles are desired. Different borrowing and lending rates can account for persistent gambling provided the rates span the rate of time preference. (JEL D81, D91)

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:92:y:2002:i:3:p:613-624
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-25