A phenomenological study of online gambling behaviors among Filipino working professionals
Miguel C. Tuga, Alqueen M. Carlos & Teresita T. Rungduin
Abstract
This study explores the lived experiences of Filipino working professionals engaged in online gambling using an interpretative phenomenological design. Data were collected during January to June 2025 via remote, semi-structured interviews with seven participants who were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. An interview guide, which was content-validated by grounding it in a literature review, was used for data collection, and the resulting transcripts were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis. The findings indicate that gambling engagement was often initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic and is driven by a mix of psychological needs (e.g., stress relief, thrill-seeking), social influences, and economic motivations, all of which are amplified by high digital accessibility. The progression toward problematic gambling was often characterized by escalating stakes and "chasing losses," leading to significant negative impacts on financial stability, mental health, and professional productivity. Cessation was described as a challenging, non-linear process requiring both individual resolve and external support. These findings highlight the need for culturally responsive public health policies and workplace interventions to mitigate the growing risks of online gambling.
Keywords
online gambling, Filipino working professionals, gambling behavior, problem gambling, qualitative study, phenomenology
Author information & Contribution
Miguel C. Tuga. Corresponding author. Student Researcher, Philippine Normal University-Manila. Email: tuga.mc@stud.pnu.edu.ph
Alqueen M. Carlos. Student Researcher, Philippine Normal University-Manila. Email: carlos.am@stud.pnu.edu.ph
Teresita T. Rungduin. PhD. Faculty Mentor, Philippine Normal University-Manila. Email: rungduin.tt@pnu.edu.ph
"All authors equally contributed to the conception, design, preparation, data gathering and analysis, and writing of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript."
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Funding
This work was not supported by any funding.
Institutional Review Board Statement
This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical guidelines set by Philippine Normal University-Manila. The conduct of this study has been approved and given relative clearance(s) by Philippine Normal University-Manila Research Management Office.
Data and Materials Availability
The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
AI Declaration
The author declares the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in writing this paper. In particular, the author used Gemini in summarizing key points for table legends, and refining the overall clarity and structure of the manuscript. The author takes full responsibility in ensuring proper review and editing of contents generated using AI.
Notes
Acknowledgement
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Cite this article:
Tuga, M.C., Carlos, A.M. & Rungduin, T.T. (2025). A phenomenological study of online gambling behaviors among Filipino working professionals. International Review of Social Sciences Research, 5(4), 232-259. https://doi.org/10.53378/irssr.353294
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