Springer

Causal Effect of Video Gaming on Mental Well-Being in Japan 2020–2022

• Winning a gaming console lottery during the 2020–2022 Japanese supply shortages reduced psychological distress by 0.1 to 0.6 standard deviations, establishing a positive causal link between gaming and mental well-being.
• The positive impact of video games on mental health and life satisfaction follows a threshold effect, with benefits beginning to decline after three hours of daily play.
• Nintendo Switch ownership provides the most pronounced well-being improvements for adolescents and female users, while the PlayStation 5 yields stronger benefits for adult males and dedicated gamers.