Religious beliefs, gambling attitudes, and financial market outcomes

Alok Kumar, Jeremy K. Page and Oliver G. Spalt

Journal of Financial Economics, 2011, vol. 102, issue 3, 671-708

Abstract: This study investigates whether geographic variation in religion-induced gambling norms affects aggregate market outcomes. We conjecture that gambling propensity would be stronger in regions with higher concentrations of Catholics relative to Protestants. Consistent with our conjecture, we show that in regions with higher Catholic–Protestant ratios, investors exhibit a stronger propensity to hold lottery-type stocks, broad-based employee stock option plans are more popular, the initial day return following an initial public offering is higher, and the magnitude of the negative lottery-stock premium is larger. Collectively, these results indicate that religion-induced gambling attitudes impact investors' portfolio choices, corporate decisions, and stock returns.

Keywords: Gambling; Religion; Institutional investors; Employee stock option plans; IPOs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G11 G12 Z12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (286)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jfinec:v:102:y:2011:i:3:p:671-708

DOI: 10.1016/j.jfineco.2011.07.001

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