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Gambling to Leapfrog in Status?

Author

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  • Tim Friehe
  • Mario Mechtel
Abstract
This paper shows that households with positional concerns and convex status utility use gambling to attempt leapfrogging in the social hierarchy. We test this theoretical prediction relying on household data that is representative for Germany, proxying the status orientation of households by their expenditures for conspicuous consumption. Our empirical results strongly indicate that households who care about status are more likely to participate in gambling and invest more in gambling, while they save less. In addition, results regarding socio-economic and demographic characteristics are reported. For example, we find that households in East Germany are less likely to gamble and expend smaller amounts on gambling.

Suggested Citation

  • Tim Friehe & Mario Mechtel, 2013. "Gambling to Leapfrog in Status?," CESifo Working Paper Series 4174, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_4174
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    Cited by:

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    2. Goerke, Laszlo & Neugart, Michael, 2017. "Social comparisons in oligopsony," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 196-209.
    3. Makarski, Krzysztof & Tyrowicz, Joanna, 2019. "On welfare effects of increasing retirement age," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 41(4), pages 718-746.
    4. de Pinto Marco & Goerke Laszlo, 2019. "Efficiency Wages in Cournot-Oligopoly," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 19(4), pages 1-13, October.
    5. Tim Friehe & Mario Mechtel & Markus Pannenberg, 2014. "Positional Income Concerns: Prevalence and Relationship with Personality and Economic Preferences," IAAEU Discussion Papers 201411, Institute of Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union (IAAEU).
    6. Laszlo Goerke, 2017. "Tax evasion in a Cournot oligopoly with endogenous entry," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 24(5), pages 754-779, September.
    7. Institute of Economics, 2018. "Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre Forschungsbericht 2017," Working Paper Series in Economics 378, University of Lüneburg, Institute of Economics.
    8. Laszlo Goerke, 2016. "Tax Evasion in a Cournot Oligopoly with Endogenous Entry," IAAEG Discussion Papers until 2011 201605, Institute of Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union (IAAEU).
    9. Thomas A. Garrett & David Paton & Leighton Vaughan Williams, 2020. "Taxing Gambling Machines To Enhance Public and Private Revenue," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(4), pages 500-523, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    conspicuous consumption; status-seeking; relative income; gambling behavior; behavioral economics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • D62 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Externalities

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