The Investor’s Gamble: Spending, Debt, and Short-term Thrills

A new financial culture is emerging, characterized by increased risk-taking and blurred lines between gambling and investing. The shift is driven by the influence of social media, the proliferation of online gambling, a gaming mentality in financial decisions, and the rise of self-directed trading platforms. And a decade of economic indicators reflects growing pressure on household finances: increased spending and borrowing, decreased savings, record-high credit card balances, and a growing number of participants with outstanding 401(k) plan loans. 

Risky behavior, particularly prevalent among younger adults, is marked by frequent trading, a focus on short-term gains, and easy access to leveraged financial products. Amid rising consumer debt and a lack of financial planning, wealth management is becoming an emergency ripcord rather than a seatbelt. Financial advisors now face the challenge of addressing the gap between advice adoption and investor behavior. There is a pressing need for proactive engagement to transform short-term risky behavior into a long-term plan with guardrails. 

Key questions discussed in this report:

• How have spending, gaming, and online gambling grown in the U.S.? 
• How have social media, gambling, and day trading influenced investor behavior? 
• What are the implications of increased investor financial risk for wealth management?

Companies Mentioned: 

Acorns, American Gaming Association, Bank of America, Bet365, BetMGM, Binance, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Charles Schwab, Chase, Citi, Coinbase, Composer, Crypto.com, Discover, Draft Kings, Elements, Envestnet MoneyGuide, Equifax, eToro, E-Trade, Fanduel Sportsbook, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Fidelity Investments, Google [Youtube], Interactive Brokers, Kavout, Mastercard, Meta [Facebook, Instagram], New York Fed Consumer Credit Panel, Ninjatrader, Nitrogen, Optimus, Reddit, Robinhood, Salesforce, Snappy Kraken, Stake, Stash, Stockpile, Tastytrade, TikTok, TradeStation, Tradovate, Visa, Webull, X, ZacksTrade